The Boone baseball team is one win away from a return trip to the state baseball tournament after capturing a pair of postseason victories, including a 2-1 extra-inning win over Ballard Monday, July 13 at Nite Hawk Baseball Field in Slater.
Boone, now 18-11 on the season, will travel to Cedar Rapids on Wednesday, July 15, to face Xavier (22-14) in the Class 3A Substate 7 championship game.
The winner earns a berth in the state tournament.
Boone 2, Ballard 1 (8 innings)
The Toreadors got on the board early against Ballard, scoring a run in the top of the first inning in the Class 3A, Substate 7 second-round game.
The Bombers answered in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game at 1-1 and send the contest into extra innings.
Boone delivered the decisive run in the top of the eighth and then held off Ballard in the bottom half to secure the 2-1 victory over the 21-12 Bombers.
Noah Gorman led the Boone offense with two hits, including a double.
Ryan Bowers drove in a run, while Cole Christeson also collected an RBI.
Levi Behn, Tyce Carlson, Landon Youngblood and RJ Lennon each added a hit.
Henry Wright and Noah Davies scored the Toreadors’ two runs.
Starting pitcher Gorman recorded six strikeouts before handing the ball over to Braxton Gifford.
Gifford earned the victory in relief while striking out two.
The victory pushed Boone into the substate championship game.
Boone 8, Clear Lake 6
The Toreadors opened postseason play with an 8-6 victory over Clear Lake in the Class 3A Substate 7 first-round game Friday, July 10, at Memorial Park in Boone.
Boone overcame an early deficit and scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning and five more in the second to build an 8-5 lead.
Clear Lake scored twice in the first inning, added three runs in the second and scored another run in the seventh, but the Toreadors were able to protect their advantage for the win.
Carlson had three hits, two runs scored and two RBIs.
Bowers drove in three runs, while Gorman finished with two hits, two runs scored and an RBI.
Davies added a hit and scored twice.
Behn and Lennon each scored a run, while Youngblood added an RBI.
Behn earned the victory on the mound, striking out two.
Scoggins provided relief and recorded two strikeouts.
With two postseason wins in hand, the Toreadors now turn their attention to Xavier (22-14).
Boone will face the Saints at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Cedar Rapids with a spot in the Class 3A state baseball tournament on the line.
Jill Lutz reporting
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