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Redbirds stay cool in win
Darlington tops BH in cold Wiota nonconference affair
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Darlington’s Nick Andrae (17) gets cut down at the plate during an April 4 game against Black Hawk in Wiota. Black Hawk catcher Avery Baumgartner (10) slapped the tag on Andrae for the final out of the Redbirds’ sixth inning. The Warriors threw two runners out at home during the frame. Darlington won 7-3. - photo by By Thomas Gunnell

WIOTA — With the game time temperature dipping into the low 30s, Darlington had no problem stay cool under pressure.

The Redbirds answered every one of Black Hawk’s scores with a bigger rally of their own to put down the host Warriors, 7-3, in a nonconference prep baseball game April 4 at Wiota Park.

Darlington (3-2) erased an earlier 2-0 deficit by scoring four times in the top of the second inning. Then, when the Warriors (1-2) shaved the deficit down to a run in the home-half fifth, the ’Birds responded back with two key insurance runs in the top of the sixth to halt the hosts’ comeback.

Junior catcher Avery Baumgartner put Black Hawk up 2-0 with a two-run single in the bottom of the first inning. 

Darlington took advantage of some Warriors’ fielding woes to plated three unearned runs in the second stanza en route to a 4-2 lead. Sophomore Carter Lancaster tripled and scored to open the rally, while freshmen Hunter Hardyman singled and scored a run and Braden Davis doubled in two-runs for the ’Birds.

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Black Hawk’s Brandon Schiferl (8) is safe on the steal when Darlington second baseman Braden Davis (22) is unable to gather in the throw from the catcher. - photo by By Thomas Gunnell

Baumgartner singled in senior Rece Shelton in the fifth inning to cut the gap to 4-3, however the ’Birds answered once again with pitcher Nick Andrae helping his own cause by doubling in Davis in the frame.

The Redbirds tacked on an insurance run in the top of the seventh to go up 7-3, and Davis retired the Warriors in order in relief on the mound in the bottom of the inning to seal the victory.

Andrae (1-0) fired six solid innings for the Redbirds, allowing three runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out eight batters. 

Jayden Stietz (0-1) took the loss for the Warriors after yielding four runs on four hits with four walks and five Ks over four and a third innings on the hill. Jexon Stietz allowed three runs on three hits with four walks and four Ks in relief.

Lancaster finished 2 for 3 at the plate with a triple, a double and a run scored. Davis drove in two runs and scored once, and sophomore Cayden Rankin scored twice for Darlington.

Baumgartner went 2 for 4 with three RBI and Shelton scored twice for Black Hawk.

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Darlington first baseman Carter Lancaster (8) stretches as far as he can for the throw to the base, but Black Hawk’s Lucas Flanagan (15) was able to beat the throw for an infield single. - photo by By Thomas Gunnell

Darlington (1-2 SWAL) split a pair of conference games during the week, falling 9-4 to Cuba City on April 2, and then defeating Boscobel 4-2 on April 5 for their first league win.

Lancaster went 2-for-2 with a run and an RBI, while Andrae doubled and scored and Preston Banfield added an RBI against the Cubans. Seth Kunkel and Justin Hasken bashed two-run home runs for Cuba City.

At Boscobel, Andrae ripped a go-ahead two-run single in the top of the seventh inning to snap a 2-2 tie, and Banfield (2-1) retired the Bulldogs in order in the bottom of the seventh to pick up the victory in relief. He retired all seven batters in faced in the game.

Black Hawk picked up its first victory of the season April 6 in Wiota, when the Warriors defeated Pittsville, 18-6, in a non-conference contest.

Darlington will host its annual Luke Wiegel Memorial Tournament April 13. The Redbirds return to SWAL play at home against Mineral Point April 16.

Black Hawk has a Six Rivers Conference crossover doubleheader at Potosi-Cassville April 12, with Six River East games scheduled at Wiota against Argyle on April 15 and against Pecatonica at Hollandale April 16.