For the third time in four outings, South Hamilton fell in a nail-biter to Heart of Iowa Conference rival Greene County, 6-4, Friday night at the Mike Penning Athletic Complex. After a 4-0 season-opening loss to North Polk, the Hawks have lost their last three games by a combined four runs.

“I just told the guys we’ve got to keep trusting it,” South Hamilton head coach Cole Swenson said after the latest close loss. “With these kids, they’ve got grit and they’re tough kids. I told them that you’ve got to hold yourself with positivity and that’s what we’re doing right now.”

South Hamilton (0-4, 0-2 HOIC) had a chance in its final at bat. But with the bases loaded and two outs, Greene County reliever Matthew Hovick got Landen Skartvedt to ground out to end the threat and game.

Rams’ slugger Brayden Roberts was a one-man wrecking crew. He blasted a two-run home run in the fourth inning to put Greene County (2-2, 1-1 HOIC) in front 3-2 and added a two-RBI single in the sixth. He finished 3 for 3 at the dish.

South Hamilton’s Carter Balvanz gets jammed on the inside corner as he takes a cut during Friday’s game against Greene County. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

South Hamilton finished with two more hits than Greene County, 9-7, and Tanner Blue came within a home run of hitting for the cycle. He roped a double in the third inning, an RBI single in the fourth and then found the gap for a triple in the sixth.

Tycin Barkema, who was on the hook for the loss, went 2 for 3 with an RBI single in the third. Chase Friest added two base hits, while Skartvedt and Tjerdan Johnson both had one. Skartvedt plated a run with his single in the sixth.

Greene County 6, South Hamilton 4

Friday at Jewell

Greene Cty. 010 203 0 — 6 7 0

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

S. Hamilton 002 101 0 — 4 9 1

Joe Carey, Matthew Hovick (6) and Brayden Roberts. Tycin Barkema, Prestin Van De Pol (7) and Gatlin Johnson. W — Carey. L — Barkema. Multiple hits — GC: Roberts (3), Justin Stream; SH: Tanner Blue (3), Barkema, Chase Friest. 2B — GC: Roberts, Bryce Stalder, Blake Hamann; SH: Blue. 3B — SH: Blue. HR — GC: Roberts. RBI — GC: Roberts (4), Hamann; SH: Blue, Barkema, Landen Skartvedt.