South Hamilton baseball knocks off Saydel, 8-7

The South Hamilton Hawks baseball team returned to action on Friday night, as they hosted the Saydel Eagles in Heart of Iowa Conference action at South Hamilton High School in Jewell. South Hamilton entered at 2-7, while Saydel entered at 10-3.

The Hawks struck first in the 1st inning, as Tjerdan Johnson scored on a Saydel error to put the Hawks up 1-0. Saydel would answer with 3 runs in the 3rd, including a 2-run home run by Boyd Jones to put the Eagles up 3-1. Jones would strike again in the 5th, this time belting a 3-run homer to put the Eagles up 6-1. Tjerdan Johnson would get South Hamilton back on the board in the 5th with an RBI groundout to make it 6-2, before the Hawks put up a massive 6th inning. Fueled by 3 Saydel errors, South Hamilton put up 6 runs in the frame to go up 8-6, as Braden Young slammed the door shut on the Eagles in the 7th, despite a run allowed, to secure the 8-7 win.

Preston Van De Pol would go 3-for-4 with a double and 2 singles, while Tjerdan Johnson, Landon Greufe, Kolby Hodnefield and Connor Deppe all drove in runs. Tjerdan Johnson was the winning pitcher in relief, pitching 1.2 innings, allowing no runs on 1 hit and striking out 2. Braden Young picked up the save for the Hawks.

South Hamilton baseball returns to action on Monday, when they host Greene County in Heart of Iowa Conference action at South Hamilton High School at 7:30 PM.