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Hawks, win, but pay a steep price

Leading hitter Lewis injures knee in first inning vs. Nevada

Sam Lewis dives back into first base during the first inning against Nevada on Friday. Photo by Angela Hewitt

JEWELL — South Hamilton put together another early-season statement-making performance on the baseball diamond Friday night at the Mike Penning Athletic Complex, but it may have come with a hefty price tag attached.

Behind a 10-strikeout show on the mound from Cole Berg, the Hawks dissected Heart of Iowa Conference rival Nevada, 6-1, and remained unbeaten.

But senior offensive leader Sam Lewis was forced to leave the game in the first inning after he injured his knee sliding head-first into second base. Lewis jumped aboard on a single, his seventh in nine at bats this season that improved his batting average to an eye-popping .778. A somber Kyle Galetich, South Hamilton’s head coach, said he’ll take a hopeful wait-and-see approach that Lewis will be able to return to the field.

“We’re hoping for the best and we’re hoping he’s in the lineup (tonight against Saydel),” Galetich said. “He’s worked so hard for three years and he was off to such a good start this season.”

But it was next man in Friday night and Tycin Barkema certainly played his part. Taking over for Lewis, the freshman belted a two-run triple in the third inning that broke up a scoreless game and put the Hawks (3-0, 1-0 HOIC) in command for good. Barkema also drew a bases loaded walk in the fourth.

South Hamilton freshman Tycin Barkema slides into the plate during Friday’s 6-1 victory over Nevada in Jewell. Barkema replaced the injured Sam Lewis and belted a two-run triple in the third inning. He finished the game with three RBIs. Photo by Angela Hewitt

“He’s a pretty even-keel kid and the situation (in the third inning) wasn’t too big for him,” Galetich said of Barkema. “He stepped up when we needed him.”

Zeke Balderas roped a RBI single in the third to make it 3-0 in the Hawks’ favor and then hammered a two-run double in the fourth.

South Hamilton scored all six of its runs in the third and fourth innings off Nevada (2-2, 1-1 HOIC) pitcher Brock Dutton. Barkema and Balderas had three RBIs each.

Cade Flaugh added two hits, while Cade Balvanz and Brock Galetich both singled in the win. Berg hit the gap for a double.

Berg put it on cruise control over 52⁄3 innings of work on the bump. The senior right-hander allowed just two hits. Balderas took over in the sixth inning and then handed the ball back to Berg for the final out in the seventh. Balderas fanned three and walked three.

“Cole pitched really well,” Galetich said. “He didn’t have his best off-speed stuff, but he was locating his fastball well and early on was just throwing it by people.”

South Hamilton will attempt to start a season 4-0 for the first time in more than a decade this evening when it hosts Saydel at 7:30 p.m.

South Hamilton 6, Nevada 1

Friday at Jewell

Nevada 000 000 1 — 1 2 1

S. Ham 003 300 x — 6 9 2

Brock Dutton, Max Hoffman (5) and Keaton Fry. Cole Berg, Zeke Balderas (6), Berg (7) and Lane Swenson. WP — Berg. LP — Dutton. Multiple hits — SH: Balderas, Cade Flaugh. 2B — SH: Berg, Balderas. 3B — SH: Tycin Barkema. RBI — SH: Barkema (3), Balderas (3).

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