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Keokuk finishes second at FunCity Classic
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| Keokuk’s Matt Kelly (10) is congradulated at home plate after hitting a two-run home run against West Burlington Saturday at Community Field. |
BURLINGTON - The Keokuk Chiefs took second in the FunCity Classic Saturday at Community Field.
Keokuk won the opening game of the baseball tournament 8-2 over West Burlington. The Chiefs faced Burlington, ranked 10th in Class 4A, in the championship game and fell 10-9 in eight innings.
“Considering the fact we hadn't played in a week and a half due to weather, I thought overall we did a good job today,” said Keokuk Head Coach Steve Worster. “We have a few areas we need to clean up, but if the guys show up every night and give me that kind of effort, we'll win our share of games.”
Burlington scored three runs in the second and third innings to take a 6-0 lead, but the Chiefs responded with a big fourth inning, sending 12 batters to the plate.
Craig Baum led off with a walk and scored on an RBI double by B.J. Billings. Ryan Bell walked, and Matt Kelly singled to load the bases.
Nick Bell drew a walk to score Billings to make it 6-2. Matt Valuch followed with a single to right to score Ryan Bell, and Matt Chaknine singled to left to score Matt Kelly. Nathan Kelly and Baum reached on errors to tie the game at 6-6, and Billings cleared the bases with a three-run double to put the Chiefs ahead 9-6.
“I was really proud of the fact that we batted back from a 6-0 deficit,” Worster said. “This group has some fight in them. They're not going to quit.
“We took advantage of some walks and a few misques, but we also had five hits in the inning. We put the ball in play consistently and good things happen if you do that.”
Burlington, however, battled back in the bottom of the inning. Two walks to start the inning hurt the Chiefs. Kyle Peterson and Tyler Pflum each had RBI singles to pull the Grayhounds to within 9-8.
Keokuk held the lead until the bottom of the seventh. Selleck Davis led off with a single and was sacrificed to second on a bunt. Chaknine struck out Martin Cervantez for the second out of the inning, but Tyler Stevens came through with an RBI double to tie the game.
Burlington had a chance to win the game in the seventh. Josh Caffrey singled to right, but Matt Kelly fired a strike to the plate to cut down Davis trying to score.
Keokuk missed a chance to score in the top of the eighth inning. Chaknine led off with a single, and courtesy runner Ethan Hotop was sacrificed to second. Burlington, however, got of the jam when Nathan Kelly flew out to right, and Baum grounded out to shortstop.
The Grayhounds ended the game in the bottom of the eighth. Zach Glasgow led off with a walk and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by C.J. Bolander.
“We feel like we let one get away,” Worster said. “We had it right in the grasp of our hands, but we didn't finish the job.”
Billings was 3-for-4 with two doubles and four runs batted in to lead Keokuk at the plate. Chaknine was 2-for-3 with a run batted in. Matt Kelly was 2-for-4, and Valuch, Baum and Nathan Kelly each had one hit.
Chaknine took the loss in relief. He pitched 4 2/3 innings and allowed four earned runs on seven hits. Chaknine finished with four walks and five strike outs.
Luke Davis started and pitched three innings. He allowed six earned runs on seven hits and finished with one walk and one strike out.
In the opening game, Nathan Kelly pitched a complete game, striking out 15, and Matt Kelly homered and drove in three runs to lead the Chiefs past West Burlington.
Keokuk took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Two runs scored on a West Burlington error, and Matt Kelly drove in a run on a sacrifice fly.
West Burlington scored its lone run in the bottom of the first. Dustin Guihan singled with two out, took second on a passed ball and scored on a single by Taylor Day.
Keokuk got the run back in the top of the second inning. Davis walked, advanced to third on a passed ball by the catcher and scored on a passed ball.
The Chiefs added another run in the third inning. Baum led off with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ryan Bell.
Matt Kelly hit a two-run home run over the left field fence in the fifth inning, and Nick Bell had an RBI single in the seventh to finish the scoring.
Nathan Kelly allowed five hits and did not walk a batter for his first win of the season.
Matt Kelly was 2-for-3, and Baum was 2-for-4 to lead Keokuk at the plate. Ethan Deyo, Nathan Kelly, Billings, Nick Bell and Davis each had one hit.
Taylor Day was 3-for-3 to lead West Burlington at the plate. Taylor Newland pitched a complete game but took the loss.
Keokuk (2-1) plays a Southeast Conference doubleheader at Washington today.
Keokuk won the opening game of the baseball tournament 8-2 over West Burlington. The Chiefs faced Burlington, ranked 10th in Class 4A, in the championship game and fell 10-9 in eight innings.
“Considering the fact we hadn't played in a week and a half due to weather, I thought overall we did a good job today,” said Keokuk Head Coach Steve Worster. “We have a few areas we need to clean up, but if the guys show up every night and give me that kind of effort, we'll win our share of games.”
Burlington scored three runs in the second and third innings to take a 6-0 lead, but the Chiefs responded with a big fourth inning, sending 12 batters to the plate.
Craig Baum led off with a walk and scored on an RBI double by B.J. Billings. Ryan Bell walked, and Matt Kelly singled to load the bases.
Nick Bell drew a walk to score Billings to make it 6-2. Matt Valuch followed with a single to right to score Ryan Bell, and Matt Chaknine singled to left to score Matt Kelly. Nathan Kelly and Baum reached on errors to tie the game at 6-6, and Billings cleared the bases with a three-run double to put the Chiefs ahead 9-6.
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“We took advantage of some walks and a few misques, but we also had five hits in the inning. We put the ball in play consistently and good things happen if you do that.”
Burlington, however, battled back in the bottom of the inning. Two walks to start the inning hurt the Chiefs. Kyle Peterson and Tyler Pflum each had RBI singles to pull the Grayhounds to within 9-8.
Keokuk held the lead until the bottom of the seventh. Selleck Davis led off with a single and was sacrificed to second on a bunt. Chaknine struck out Martin Cervantez for the second out of the inning, but Tyler Stevens came through with an RBI double to tie the game.
Burlington had a chance to win the game in the seventh. Josh Caffrey singled to right, but Matt Kelly fired a strike to the plate to cut down Davis trying to score.
Keokuk missed a chance to score in the top of the eighth inning. Chaknine led off with a single, and courtesy runner Ethan Hotop was sacrificed to second. Burlington, however, got of the jam when Nathan Kelly flew out to right, and Baum grounded out to shortstop.
The Grayhounds ended the game in the bottom of the eighth. Zach Glasgow led off with a walk and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by C.J. Bolander.
“We feel like we let one get away,” Worster said. “We had it right in the grasp of our hands, but we didn't finish the job.”
Billings was 3-for-4 with two doubles and four runs batted in to lead Keokuk at the plate. Chaknine was 2-for-3 with a run batted in. Matt Kelly was 2-for-4, and Valuch, Baum and Nathan Kelly each had one hit.
Chaknine took the loss in relief. He pitched 4 2/3 innings and allowed four earned runs on seven hits. Chaknine finished with four walks and five strike outs.
Luke Davis started and pitched three innings. He allowed six earned runs on seven hits and finished with one walk and one strike out.
In the opening game, Nathan Kelly pitched a complete game, striking out 15, and Matt Kelly homered and drove in three runs to lead the Chiefs past West Burlington.
Keokuk took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Two runs scored on a West Burlington error, and Matt Kelly drove in a run on a sacrifice fly.
West Burlington scored its lone run in the bottom of the first. Dustin Guihan singled with two out, took second on a passed ball and scored on a single by Taylor Day.
Keokuk got the run back in the top of the second inning. Davis walked, advanced to third on a passed ball by the catcher and scored on a passed ball.
The Chiefs added another run in the third inning. Baum led off with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ryan Bell.
Matt Kelly hit a two-run home run over the left field fence in the fifth inning, and Nick Bell had an RBI single in the seventh to finish the scoring.
Nathan Kelly allowed five hits and did not walk a batter for his first win of the season.
Matt Kelly was 2-for-3, and Baum was 2-for-4 to lead Keokuk at the plate. Ethan Deyo, Nathan Kelly, Billings, Nick Bell and Davis each had one hit.
Taylor Day was 3-for-3 to lead West Burlington at the plate. Taylor Newland pitched a complete game but took the loss.
Keokuk (2-1) plays a Southeast Conference doubleheader at Washington today.
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