Waukon baseball team’s split of Class 2A District Tournament games includes 5-0 win over Starmont and 5-1 storm-shortened loss to Denver to have season ended
Two-hit shut-out with eight strikeouts ... Waukon baseball sophomore pitcher Colton O’Neill rears back to fire a pitch in the Indians’ 5-0 win over Starmont at Monona in the semifinal round of Class 2A District Tournament play Tuesday, July 9. O’Neill limited the Stars to just two hits and two walks while recording eight strikeouts in the shut-out victory, and he reached base three times with a bunt single, a walk and being hit by a pitch to score one run. View and find out how to purchase this photo and many more by clicking on the Photo Galleries link on this webpage.
The Waukon baseball team had its 2024 season brought to an unfortunate close by two forces of nature - one in name only - in its furthest advancement in postseason tournament play since 2021. After having avenged a season-opening loss with a 5-0 Class 2A District Semifinals victory over Starmont played in Monona Tuesday, July 9, the Indians were playing in their first District Championship game in three seasons and just their second such appearance since the program’s 2011 Class 3A State Tournament qualification, but had their 2024 postseason run brought to a halt by a 5-1 loss to an upstart Denver Cyclones team in a game that was just heading into its sixth inning of play when Mother Nature rolled stormy weather through the area that first suspended the game but eventually forced it to be called an official end result, according to rules established by the National Federation of State High School Associations and adopted by the Iowa High School Athletic Association regarding a minimum of five innings requiring to be played for an official result.
That unfortunate ending to the diamond Tribe’s 2024 campaign wrapped up the Indians’ season with an overall record of 12-18 that includes a mark of 7-13 in Northeast Iowa Conference (NEIC) play that placed them fourth in the final six-team NEIC standings. With its third consecutive postseason win that nearly doubled its overall season win total, Denver advanced to the Class 2A Substate 3 Championship game, taking on sixth-rated New Hampton in Decorah Tuesday, July 16 for the right to play in the Class 2A State Tournament.
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