Photo Courtesy of Hillcrest Academy Social Media
The Hillcrest Academy Raven boys and girls of summer continue their busy week on the diamond tonight when they host Louisa-Muscatine in a boy/girl doubleheader in Kalona. The Raven boys are 4-2 this year, and a perfect 4-0 in the Southeast Iowa Superconference North Division, after a 3-2 win at Winfield-Mt. Union Thursday. This year, the Ravens hit .239 as a group, with a .356OBP and .283 slug with 33 runs, 33 hits, 24RBI, 22 walks and 39 strikeouts. Three Ravens are .300 or better, led by Mason Bender’s .357. Mason Helmuth has a team best seven RBI, and Rowan Miller has seven hits. On the mound, Hillcrest has a 3.40 team ERA with a 1.14WHIP, .180 opponent average, 23 hits, 17 earned runs, 17 walks and 38 strikeouts. Seth Ours and Phoenix Anderson are a combined 4-0 with a 0.86ERA.
Louisa-Muscatine is 3-7 this year. They dropped a 9-0 game Wednesday at West Liberty. The Falcons hit .224 as a lineup with a .339OBP, and .252 slug, 46 runs, 55 hits, 37RBI, 40 walks and 46 strikeouts. Two Falcons are .300 or better with Ty Rosenboom at .344, 11 hits, nine runs and seven RBI. On the mound, the L-M team ERA is 5.17, with a 1.96WHIP, .187 opponent average, 65 hits, 47 earned runs, 60 walks and 79 strikeouts. Xavier Wheeler, Owen Klocksiem and Hayden Cantrell each have a win and a 4.70ERA combined. Hillcrest has won five of the last six in this series, with the two teams splitting two games last year.
The Raven girls are 4-7 overall, 2-6 in conference after beating up on Belle Plaine Thursday night 15-5 in five innings on the road. This season, Hillcrest hits .280 collectively with a .422OBP and .358 slug with 66 runs, 72 hits, 44RBI, 60 walks and 85 strikeouts. Four Ravens are .300 or better led by Malia Yoder at .500, with 16 hits and nine RBI. Morgyn Nafziger has scored 12 times. In the circle, Yoder, Ella Mize and Lyla Genkinger have a combined 4.79ERA and 1.91WHIP, .250 opponent average, 85 hits, 42 earned runs, 32 walks and 68 strikeouts.
Louisa-Muscatine is 12-2 overall, the Falcons are unbeaten 7-0 in the Superconference after getting by Columbus 10-0 Thursday night. L-M is ranked No. 2 in Class 2A in the latest poll from the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. This year the Falcon lineup hits .377 with a .474OBP and .518 slug, 118 runs, 126 hits, 101RBI, 56 walks and 43 strikeouts. Three Falcons are at .400 or better led by Grace Kissell’s .537, 24 runs and 22 total hits. Rylann Lessenger has knocked in 14. Falcon pitchers Grace Hoopes, Hannah Kissell and Kamryn Taylor have a combined 1.12ERA, 0.86 WHIP, .135 opponent average, 40 hits, 12 earned runs, 24 walks and 85 strikeouts. L-M has won 22 of the last 23 in the series, including a sweep of both games by a 19-1 total score last year. The Ravens last win came in 2023. Softball starts tonight at 7p.m. In Kalona.