BRADY ASKLUND pitches for Webster City against Humboldt on Friday. The Wildcats edged the Lynx, 4-3. (Photo by Rick Thompson)

HUMBOLDT — Leading up to the 2023 summer season, the Webster City baseball team had North Central Conference foe Humboldt’s number, winning seven of their eight previous meetings going back to 2019.

Earlier this season, Humboldt had caught up to the Lynx, scoring a victory on June 5. This past Thursday, while the final score was closer, it was the Wildcats who had crucial moments go their way.

In a battle for North Central Conference supremacy, the Lynx held an early 3-0 lead before succumbing to four unanswered runs from the Wildcats, falling 4-3 last Friday on the campus of Humboldt High School.

Humboldt’s victory ended a four-year conference title reign by the purple and gold.

Webster City dipped down to 7-4 within the league and 12-14 overall, while the Wildcats clinched their first NCC crown since 2016 with a 11-0 conference mark and improving to 19-3 overall.

The purple and gold will look to recover and rebound, hosting Clear Lake for an NCC matchup set for 7:30 p.m. tonight at Lynx Field in Webster City. The matchup between the Lynx and Lions (12-9, 8-3 NCC) is a battle for second place in the NCC pecking order, with Clear Lake winning their previous meeting via a 1-0 on June 7 in Clear Lake.

Junior Keegan Hisler paced the Lynx by going 2-of-4 with a homer, single and an RBI. Senior Ty McKinney was also credited with an RBI, while freshman Matthew Tesdahl, junior Briar Klaver and Trevyn Lyons each tallied base hits against the Wildcats.

Keegan Hisler, senior CJ Hisler and Tesdahl each scored for the visiting Lynx. Sophomore Brady Asklund fanned six Humboldt batters, but allowed seven hits and four runs in 110 pitches to take a loss on the mound.