By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com
IAHSBCA Releases 2020 All-District Baseball Teams:
Mount Pleasant senior Nik Coble has been named First Team All-Southeast District, the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association has announced.
Coble, who will attend Southeastern Community College, finished this year with a 4-1 record on the mound with a 1.30 ERA in 37.2 innings.
Coble struck out a team-high 46 hitters while walking just 20.
He also was sublime at the plate, leading Mount Pleasant in home runs with five and runs batted in with 30.
Mount Pleasant had three Second Team All-District honorees:
- P Jaxon Hoyle
- OF Chase Williamson
- UT Corbin Broeker
Hoyle, an Iowa Wesleyan recruit, started nine games for the Panthers logging a team-high 40.2 innings with a 1.55 ERA and 39 punch-outs.
Williamson hit .392 this season with three doubles and 11 runs batted in, while Broeker finished with a .324 average, two doubles and 13 runs batted in.
Mount Pleasant ended this year 15-7 and co-champions of the Southeast Conference.
In 1A, there was several local selections, headlined by New London outfielder Joshua Catala. Catala ended his sophomore season with a robust .389 batting average, helping guide New London the the district finals.
Other area first team selections included:
- Burlington Notre Dame P Mitchell Brent
- Burlington Notre Dame 3B Drew Chiprez
Second Team choices were:
- New London C Tucker Gibbar
- Burlington Notre Dame 2B Carson Chiprez
- Burlington Notre Dame SS Nick Skerik
- Burlington Notre Dame OF Jeron Conner
- Burlington Notre Dame UT Trenton Blythe
- Wapello UT Aidan Housman
Drake Stadium to Host Blue Oval Showcase:
Drake Stadium will host a professional track & field competition on August 29th.
Director of the Drake Relays Blake Boldon has announced the Blue Oval Showcase — a one-time event featuring pro athletes.
Safety measures for the Blue Oval Showcase include the absence of ticketed fans from Drake Stadium.
Only athletes and officials will be allowed on the competition surface and a limited number of event staff and credentialed athlete support staff will be allowed in the stadium seating area.
Athletes will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms upon their arrival to Central Iowa and events on the track will place competitors in every other lane to maximize the health of participants and officials.
The schedule will include sprints, hurdles, field events and the USATF 1 Mile Road Championships.
Field of Dreams Game Cancelled:
According to multiple reports, the Field of Dreams game in Dyersville, Iowa — scheduled between the White Sox and Cardinals — has been canceled.
The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports the cancellation is due to “logistical problems” and not due to the positive coronavirus tests within the Cardinals organization.
The game was originally slated to be played between the White Sox and Yankees, but the MLB schedule was changed prior to the 60-game season.
The Cardinals-White Sox game was slated for August 13th, however the Cardinals, with over 10 positive COVID-19 tests have not played since July 29th and have been stuck in Milwaukee awaiting further instruction.
St. Louis is expected to try and resume their season on Friday against the Cubs.
Ohio State, Wisconsin Picked as Favorites in Big Ten:
Ohio State received 33 first place votes as they look to be the clear favorite in the Big Ten race this year with second-year signal caller Justin Fields.
The Buckeyes received a total of 237 points to win the Big Ten East with Penn State picked by one media member to win the division.
Wisconsin and Minnesota are the presumptive favorites of the Big Ten West, with the Badgers taking 19 first-place votes and Minnesota nabbing 14.
Rather shockingly, Northwestern picked sixth in the division, also received a first place vote.
Iowa finished third in the preseason Big Ten West standings.
BIG TEN EAST
1. Ohio State 237 points (33 first-place votes)
2. Penn State 204 points (1)
3. Michigan 169 points
4. Indiana 134 points
5. Michigan State 94 points
6. Maryland 76 points
7. Rutgers 38 points
BIG TEN WEST
1. Wisconsin 221 points (19)
2. Minnesota 209.5 (14)
3. Iowa 157 points
4. Nebraska 117 points
5. Purdue 105 points
6. Northwestern 87.5 points (1)
7. Illinois 55 points
MLB Scoreboard (8/3):
Cincinnati 3, Cleveland 2
New York Yankees 6, Philadelphia 3
New York Mets 7, Atlanta 2
Chicago Cubs 2, Kansas City 0
Minnesota 5, Pittsburgh 4
Chicago White Sox 6, Milwaukee 4
Colorado 7, San Francisco 6
San Diego 5, Los Angeles Dodgers 4
Oakland 11, Seattle 1