Kuemper Vs Van Meter- Class 2A Quarterfinals
Van Meter 5
Kuemper 3
Kuemper struck first when Benicio Lujano crushed a high inside fastball over the right field fence with Koby Lampman on base. The Knights had all the momentum and the crowd was rocking. Van Meter was looking for their 52nd straight win and 4th State Championship and showed poise. They answered Kuemper’s 2-runs in the top of the 3rd with 4-runs in the bottom half and never trailed again. Kuemper chased the Bulldogs ace in the 3rd but struggled to string hits together against Chris Schreck who relieved Gannon Archer and gave Kuemper a completely different look. Schreck held Kuemper to 4 hits over 4 innings, stranding 5 guys on base, after pitching them out of trouble in the 3rd. Kuemper out hit Van Meter 8 to 5 but Van Meter strung hits together in the 3rd inning, getting a pair of triples, mixed in with an intentional walk, a walk and a couple Kuemper throwing miscues. The Knights had the tying run on the base in the 7th but were unable to keep the rally going.
Koby Lampman drove an 0-2 off speed pitch for a base hit in the 3rd, picking up the first hit of the game for either team. The leadoff single sparked Kuemper who stranded a pair of runners on base in the 2nd inning. Logan Sibenaller bunted Lampman to 2nd base and Benicio Lujano took a 1-0 high fastball deep over the right field fence to put the Knights up 2-0. Cal Wanninger and Cooper Pottebaum both singled to force Van Meter to make a change on the mound. Kuemper picked up 4 hits in the 3rd but Chris Schreck came in and induced a hard line drive caught by Jack Pettitt at shortstop to end the Knights threat. Van Meter responded right away in the bottom 3rd. Austin Baumhover walked and moved to 3rd on a errant pickoff attempt. Dalten Van Pelt bunted and the ball was thrown away as it got lost in the sun and Van Pelt moved all the way to 3rd base, and Baumhover scored on the play. Jack Pettit tripled, then scored on a sac fly by Carter Durflinger. That came after Van Pelt scored on a ground out to shortstop. Reese Moore was intentionally walked and scored on a triple by Gannon Archer. Van Meter scored 4-runs on 3 hits and led 4-2. They extended it to 5-2 in the 5th when Moore was hit-by-pitch, stole 2nd base and scored on a base hit to left field by Archer. The Knights tried to rally in the 6th inning. Max Irlmeier singled and Tristan Janson came in to run for him, Koby Lampman singled, putting runners on 1st and 3rd but the Knights didn’t score and trailed 5-2 going to the 7th inning. Carter Putney blooped a ball down the right field line, dropping it in for a double to start the 7th. He moved to 3rd base on a ground out by Cal Wanniger and scored on a base hit up the middle by Cooper Pottebaum. The Knights rally came to an end when Reese Moore came in and got the last out.
Koby Lampman and Cooper Pottebaum each had 2 hits for Kuemper. Pottebaum drove in a run and Lampman scored a run. Benicio Lujano had a 2-run home run. Carter Putney doubled and scored. Logan Sibenaller took the loss, g0ing 6 innings, allowing 5 hits and 5 earned runs with 3 strikeouts.
The Knights end the season 20-17. Van Meter moves to 37-0 and will play Beckman Catholic on Thursday in the semifinals at 7:00.
Kuemper Stats
Carter Putney 1-4, 2B, RS
Benicio Lujano 1-4, 2-run HR, 2 RBI, RS
Cal Wanninger 1-2, 2BB, 2 SB
Cooper Pottebaum 2-4, RBI
John Boes 1 BB, SB
Max Irlmeier 1-2
Koby Lampman 2-3, RS
Logan Sibenaller LP, 6 IP, 5 Hits, 5 RA, 5 ER, 3 K’s, 3 BB, HBP
Van Meter Stats
Jack Pettitt 1-4, 3B, RS
Carter Durflinger 1 RBI
Reese Moore, 2 RS, BB, HBP, SB- Pitching, Save, 1/3 IP, K
Gannon Archer 2-3, 3B, 2 RBI- Pitching 2 2/3 IP, 4 Hits, 2 RA, 2 ER, 6 K’s, 2 BB
Austin Baumhover 1-2. RS, BB
Dalten Van Pelt 1-3, RBI, RS
Casey Trudo 1 RBI, BB
Chris Schreck WP, 4 IP, 4 Hits, 1 RA, 1 ER, 3 K’s, BB
Box Score
Teams 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Final
Kuemper 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 3
Van Meter 0 0 4 0 1 0 x 5
