HAWKS RISE TO 4A TITLE

Keaton McKinney went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and Matt Johnson (7-1) pitched six shutout innings to lift Ankeny to its second state championship and first in 20 years, as the Hawks defeated the Fort Dodge Dodgers 10-0 in six innings in the 4A finals at Principal Park on Saturday night. The Hawks set a state championship game record with 19 hits

Ankeny’s bats came out swinging in the first inning to get two runs. McKinney barely missed a homer with a double off the wall in left scoring Tanner Buenting for game’s first run. Joel Lanning scored the second run on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Ross Larson.

The Hawks added another run on back-to-back singles from Buenting and Garrett Fort in the second inning. Buenting had stolen second base to get in scoring position.

Fort Dodge threatened with two outs in the third. Will Gormally lined a base shot to right advancing Devon Harms to third, but Matt Johnson got Luke VanderMaten to groundout ending the inning.

Buenting drove in Chad Norris in the fourth inning for Ankeny’s fourth run.

Ankeny allied six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to complete the 10-run-rule.

Dodgers’ starter Tyler Vaughn (10-1) allowed four runs on eight hits in three innings and suffered the loss.

The Hawks' 19 hits topped the old mark of 17 set by Mount Vernon in 1997. Mount Vernon ripped a championship record 17 hits to down Sioux Central, Sioux Rapids, 14-7, in eight innings. The two teams combined for a title game mark of 28 hits.

Fort Dodge Messenger: Dodgers fall to Ankeny


Fort Dodge Messenger

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