Hawks end season with loss in district semis

PLEASANTVILLE – The Central Lee Hawks ended their season with a 5-3 loss to Pleasantville in the Class 2A Substate 6 district 12 semifinals.
The Hawks were coming off an 8-4 opening round win over Centerville Saturday in Donnellson but came up short in the semis against the Trojans.
Central Lee finishes the year 16-7 and 7-5 in the SEI Superconference South Division behind Burlington Notre Dame (11-0) and Mediapolis (8-3).
Blake Davis took the loss for the Hawks after coming on in relief of starter Caedon Newton. Davis gave up two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning off a couple of run-scoring doubles that broke up a 3-3 tie.
Central Lee got on the board first with three runs in the top of the third inning. Gage Van Ausdall got hit by a pitch to start the inning. Corey Jones reached on an infield single to third, moving Van Ausdall up a bag. Davis would draw a base on balls to lead things up with no outs. After a strike out, Kayden Calfee singled to center, scoring Van Ausdall and Jones. Hunter Edlin would then hit into a fielder’s choice at second that scored Davis, but retired Calfee at second for a 3-0 lead. A strikeout would end the inning.
Pleasantville would tie things up tagging Newton for three runs in the bottom of the third. The incoming freshman got a strikeout to start things off, but then surrendered a single and an RBI double to left.  A popout to third would record the second out, but then an error at third allowed a run on a grounder and a single would drive in another run before Newton got the final out of the inning.
Both teams went 1-2-3 in the fourth inning. Central Lee would put two on with one out in the fifth, but a strike out and line out to right stranded both runners.
The Trojans would get the first runner on courtesy of an infield error. A sacrifice bunt by Logan Roff moved Braylon Bingham over to second and then a JJ Phillips double broke the tie with what would be the game-winning run. Another double would add an insurance run for a 5-3 lead.
Central Lee would put two runners on again in the sixth, but couldn’t find away to bring either around. Davis would hold Pleasantville scoreless in the bottom of the sixth and then the Hawks would put the first two runners on in the top of the seventh.
But as was the case multiple times this year, a double play ended the game, this time ending the season.
Davis, Bo Herdrich, Calfee, Zach Manwill and Corey Jones all had hits for Central Lee. Calfee had two RBI. Davis, Van Ausdall and Jones all scored runs for the Hawks.
Newton went three innings surrendering three runs just one earned on three hits and fanned three.
Davis gave up two runs, one earned, on three hits while striking out four.