Assumption baseball punches state tournament ticket

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By Christopher Maloney | Thursday, July 17, 2008 |

CASCADE, Iowa — The Davenport Assumption Knights jumped on the Cascade Cougars (33-6) with three runs in the top of the first, but the Cougars wouldn’t let Assumption run away with the substate title Tuesday night.

Three Cougars runs in the third tied things up until Knights senior Alex Mallonee drove home senior Ben Bush from second in the top of the sixth with a two-out single to center.

That single, along with strong relief pitching from senior Jake Kent, led the Knights (32-8) past Cascade for a 4-3 victory and clinched a trip to this weekend’s state finals.

“Alex got a good hit and sent the ball to a great spot,” Bush said. “I was expecting a throw home, so I gave it all I had until I got home. Alex’s hit was probably the biggest hit of the season.”

Mallonee said he went to the plate in the sixth thinking about hitting the ball hard.

“I told myself that I was going to crush the first fast pitch I saw,” he said. “He then grooved that ball in there, and I did just that. I am not really used to being in the spotlight, but it feels good being in the spotlight for this. We have had to really battle this postseason compared to last year. I think we deserve to go to state.”

Sophomore pitcher John Blough started the game for the Knights and had an easy first two innings. In the third, he gave up three singles, including a two-run single by Cougars shortstop Brendan Melloy, and a walk before being relieved by Kent.

Kent walked in the tying run later that inning but then buckled down, finishing the game with seven strikeouts while scattering three hits.

For Knights coach Billy Argo, the tightness of Tuesday’s substate final typified Assumption’s postseason run.

“We had a tough draw,” Argo said. “We faced a tough pitcher, Jordan Howe, from Northeast and then faced the two tough pitchers from Wilton. Cascade’s pitcher tonight, Colin Rea, is a legitimate Division-I pitcher. When Mallonee hit that ball, I just watched it to make sure it dropped. I didn’t even see Bush touch home plate.”

Contact the sports desk at (563) 383-2285 or e-mail sports@qctimes.com.