Iowa Western Makes Early Exit at World Series
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. -- Iowa Western was the lone ICCAC team to travel to Colorado to participate at the Division I World Series. The Reivers were the No. 3 seed out of 10 teams that qualified.
In the opening round game Iowa Western took on #8 Florence-Darlington (S.C.). The Reivers started slowly, giving up six runs in the top of the first inning; all six runs were earned for Luke Broderick.
Iowa Western was able to string together some runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings but ultimately ran out of innings to get back in the game. Iowa Western left eight runners on base in the first round game losing 10-4.
Being upset in the first game knocked the Reivers to the elimination bracket.
Iowa Western's second game of the NJCAA Division I World Series started off better, scoring two runs in the first inning as they took on #2 Northwest Florida State, who was also upset in their first game.
Jaxson Sorenson doubled to start off the scoring for Iowa Western as AJ Singer came around to score. Sorenson scored later in the inning from a single off the bat of Evan Saunders.
However, the Raiders would score two runs of their own in the bottom half of the first inning.
Iowa Western allowed four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to go down 6-2. After a scoreless fifth inning for both teams the Reivers surged back scoring two runs in the top half of the sixth inning.
Saunders scored after a run was walked home. Josh Wakefield scored the second run of the inning on a passed ball to pull within four runs.
The bottom of the sixth is where Northwest Florida State secured the win scoring three more runs making the lead seven runs.
A late ninth inning run for Iowa Western wasn't enough to get the offense going and the Reivers fell in the first round of the Elimination Bracket.
Iowa Western finished their season 54-10 after going 0-2 in the NJCAA World Series.
First Round
#8 Florence-Darlington Tech def. #3 Iowa Western, 10-4 - Archived Video - Box Score
Elimination First Round
#2 Northwest Florida State def. #3 Iowa Western, 11-5 - Archived Video - Box Score