WINTERSET — Eight runs on eight hits over the span of three innings helped lift Winterset to an 8-2 Raccoon River Conference win over Perry in the final regular season game for both squads Wednesday.
The teams shared the RRC title last season with identical 10-4 marks, but slipped this season, with Winterset finishing 7-7 in league play and Perry 6-8. The Bluejays are 14-15 overall and the Huskies 17-11.
Perry starter Kyle Nevitt struck out four and allowed only one hit in his three innings of work.
He was replaced by Janier Puente, who allowed three runs on two hits, two walks and a pair of wild pitches in one inning on the mound. Zach Roberts fared little better, yielding five runs on five hits and a walk in 1-1/3 frames on the bump, with Blake Lansing allowing a hit in two-thirds of an inning. Roberts and Lansing each struck out one.
Two Winterset runs in the fourth and two in the fifth gave the hosts a 4-0 lead, but Perry halved their deficit with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth.
Alex Long walks and Will Whiton hit a single to start the rally. A Roberts RBI-single plated Long, with Whiton stealing home when courtesy runner Nic Fellom was thrown out at second base while starting the double-steal.
Unfortunately for the Jays, the Huskies responded with four tallies in their half of the sixth to put the game away, with a two-run single from Cole Seiler, a RBI-single from Jack Barker and a run-scoring double from Colby VanPelt doing the damage.
Aaron Taylor hamstrung the Bluejay batters for five innings, allowing two runs on just two hits and two walks while striking out three. Cullen Donohoe tossed two innings of scoreless relief as the hosts claimed the victory.
Perry will open postseason play against Webster City in Boone at 5 p.m. Friday. The winner will face the victor of the 7 p.m. game between Boone and Nevada on Monday at 7 p.m. in the Class 3A District 4 Final. That game, and the Substate 2 Final scheduled for Wednesday, will both be played at Boone, with both games starting at 7 p.m.
First round games in District 3 include Gilbert vs. Iowa Falls-Alden and Algona vs. Humboldt. Humboldt will host both the Friday and Monday games in District 3.
——————————–
WINTERSET 8, PERRY 2
at Winterset, July 15
Team R H E
PRY 000 002 0 — 2 2 0
WNT 000 224 x — 8 9 2
PRY: Nevitt (3), Puente (1), Roberts (1.1), Lansing (.2) and Roberts, Kenyon. WNT: Taylor (5), Donohoe (2) and n/a. WP: Taylor. LP: Puente. 2B — WNT: Donohoe, VanPelt. LOB — PRY: 3; WNT: 5.
