And nobody was more stuffed at game’s end than Carter Hewitt.

The South Hamilton junior pounded four doubles, part of a 12-hit show by the Hawks in a 6-5 victory over the Comets at the Mike Penning Athletic Complex. It was South Hamilton’s first win over its Heart of Iowa Conference rival in more than a decade. North Polk had won the previous 20 contests by a combined 130 runs.

So, yeah, the Hawks were due.

“That’s the first time we’ve beaten North Polk since I’ve (been the head coach), so I was very pleased,” South Hamilton head coach Kyle Galetich said. “They’re a solid program year after year, but the kids didn’t play intimidated. They went out and did the things they needed to do to win.”

South Hamilton’s Tycin Barkema slides into the plate and scores on a wild pitch during Game 1 of a HOIC doubleheader against North Polk on Monday. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

North Polk rebounded to earn the split with a 4-1 win in the nightcap.

Nick Cox, the Comets’ starting pitcher in Game 1, challenged South Hamilton with his fastball and paid the price. Brock Galetich and Cade Flaugh both had two hits, while Tycin Barkema, Freddie Lewis, Elijah Balderas and Brandyn Feighner all smacked a single.

But it was Hewitt’s show. The lanky lefty sent one thunderous shot after another into the gap, and drove in runs with doubles in the first, third and fourth innings. Flaugh followed with his own extra-base hit in the fourth that scored Hewitt.

“Carter hit the ball well,” Kyle Galetich said. “He’s been putting good swings on things, but maybe hasn’t been getting the results he got (Monday night). In batting practice, he’s been doing the things we’ve asked and he’s really worked hard at it, and it paid off.”

North Polk (4-3, 3-1 HOIC) scored four runs in the fourth inning to pull even at 5, but South Hamilton — the visitors on the scoreboard in the opener — answered with the go-ahead run in the fifth.

Hawks’ first baseman Carter Hewitt records an out as he checks a runner against North Polk on Monday. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

South Hamilton (3-4, 3-4 HOIC) out-hit North Polk in the nightcap, 7-6, but was never able to string them together to put together a surge. The Comets scored single runs in each of their first three at bats to take command, and led 4-0 before the Hawks scratched out an unearned run in the sixth.

The loss somewhat spoiled the varsity pitching debut of sophomore Tanner Blue, who went 62⁄3 innings. He limited North Polk to all singles and walked just one to go along with three strikeouts.

“I was very pleased with Tanner,” Kyle Galetich said. “I know he was nervous with his first varsity start, but he went out and threw strikes and probably pitched better in that game than he had in (junior varsity). I felt like he was ready to take that next jump.”

Barkema, Hewitt, Balderas, Lewis and Quinton Grove all smacked singles in the Game 2 setback. Lane Swenson belted the game’s lone extra-base hit — a double.

South Hamilton will be back on its home diamond this evening to take on Prairie City-Monroe at 7:30 p.m. The Hawks trucked the Mustangs, 17-4, on the opening night of the season last month.

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Monday at Jewell

Game 1

South Hamilton 6, North Polk 5

SH 111 201 0 — 6 12 1

NP 100 040 0 — 5 9 2

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Brock Galetich, Quinton Grove (6) and Elijah Balderas. Nick Cox, Andrew Weig (4), Colby Brunkhow (6) and Joe Husak. WP — Galetich. LP — Weig. Multiple hits — SH: Carter Hewitt (4), Galetich, Cade Flaugh; NP: Husak, Ryan Fausch, Mark Cox. 2B — SH: Hewitt (4), Flaugh; NP: Fausch (2). RBI — SH: Hewitt (3), Flaugh; NP: Cox (2), Aidan Verduyn, Jack Bunkers, Nick Stupka.

Game 2

North Polk 4, South Hamilton 1

NP 111 010 0 — 4 6 2

SH 000 001 0 — 1 7 3

Ben Kvidera and Reilly Maring. Tanner Blue, Cade Flaugh (7) and Elijah Balderas. WP — Kvidera. LP — Blue. Multiple hits — NP: Fausch. 2B — SH: Lane Swenson. RBI — NP: Fausch, Joe Husak, Jackson McClain.