Prep baseball: Power surge helps Bettendorf edge Clinton

Matthys

A power surge from the Bettendorf High School baseball team helped lead the Bulldogs past Clinton in a non-conference clash on Wednesday night.

Behind home runs from Wrigley Matthys, Connor Chase and Luke Mulvehill, Bettendorf defeated the River Kings 9-6 on its home field.

Matthys’ home run in the second inning broke a 2-2 tie and gave the hosts the lead permanently. It was a three-run shot that towered just over the right-field fence.

The sophomore centerfielder said the team has been trying to take a more aggressive approach at the plate, especially early in the count.

"We have been taking way too many first-pitch strikes," Matthys said. "The whole idea was to see something and just jump on the ball. Everybody was hitting the ball tonight. We’re just happy to come out with the victory."

Chase's two-run shot later in the second inning made it 7-2. The drive quickly got out over the left-field fence.

"We’ve got strong kids that can really hit the baseball but it is actually all about confidence," Bettendorf coach Blake Hanna said. "They have to be confident with their swing and just square the ball up and the ball is going to go. We’ve been telling them to be more aggressive with fastballs in the strike zone and they took that to heart a little bit."

Bettendorf (9-4) led by three in the bottom of the sixth when Mulvehill gave the hosts the extra cushion it needed. The senior appeared to be fooled a bit on the pitch he hit out but extended his arms out enough to golf shot the ball over the left-centerfield fence. His two-run shot made it 9-4 for the Bulldogs.

"(Luke) is a strong kid who arrives on time and he just barreled it up," Hanna said of the home run. "It was good to see that from everybody."

Keegan Lerschen went four innings on the mound to pick up the victory but labored at times going 20-plus pitches in the early innings. Lerschen's biggest contribution to help his own cause came in the top of the second inning.

After the first two Clinton runners reached, the River Kings tried to sacrifice over the runners with a bunt attempt. Lerschen dove off the mound, just catching the attempt out of the air. He then threw to first base to start the rare 1-3-6 triple play. He was mobbed by teammates coming into the dugout.

Shae Van Zummeren pitched the last three innings for Bettendorf to pick up the save. He got into trouble his first inning on the mound in the fifth by loading the bases. But got one out on a fielder's choice then induced a groundball to start a 6-4-3 double play to end the threat from Clinton (2-12).

"Our pitchers struggle a little bit throwing strikes, at times, but they made pitches when they needed to," Hanna said. "They make a pitch and our defense makes a play."

Luke Bohonek and Chase added RBI singles for the Bulldogs’ other runs.

For Clinton, Addison Binnie drove in four of the six runs for the visitors. Binnie went 3-for-4 with a home run and a triple. His two-run shot in the third inning cut Bettendorf's lead to 7-4.

Binnie's RBI triple in the first inning gave Clinton a 1-0 lead and his single in the seventh made it 9-5, driving home Ian Thomas. Kinnick Belitz also drove in a pair of runs for the River Kings with a sacrifice fly in the first inning and RBI groundout in the seventh.

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