Big Rally Gives Big Reds BB Win Over Wheelers, 10-4

Missouri Valley's Nelson Clark & Brayden Neill (6-17-24)

Big Rally Gives Big Reds BB Win Over Wheelers, 10-4 -

(6-17-24) – It was a big rally worthy of Big Reds.

Missouri Valley scored 10 unanswered runs over the final 3 innings and erased a 4-0 deficit to win 10-4 over Audubon on Monday.

The Wheeler jumped out to a 4-0 after 3 innings, helped by a 2 RBI double by Evan Alt.

But Missouri Valley came roaring back with 4 runs in the 4th, capped off with a 2-RBI single by starting pitcher Cam Rolli to tie the game. Rolli went 4 1/3, giving up 3 earned runs and striking out 6.

After holding off a threat by the Wheelers in the top of the 5th, the Big Reds scratched across two more runs, including one on an RBI single by Layton Maasen to give Missouri Valley a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Nelson Clark was 2 for 3 with 2 RBI for the Big Reds. Clark talked to KNOD Sports about his focus of hitting the ball to the opposite field.

“I like to hit right between first and second because it leaves a pretty good gap because right field usually sits late and that gets me on, gets my teammates moved around the field and it’s a good spot to put the ball.”

The Big Reds got 2 2/3 perfect innings from Brayden Neill, who started the game on the other side of the plate.

“It's a little bit weird cause I short arm my catcher throws to get it faster, so I gotta change my arm angle a little bit,” said Neill. “But I think it also helps me warm up too.”

Neill used his knowledge of the hitters’ tendencies as a catcher to his advantage while on the mound.

“Sadly, I don't throw that fast, but with catching, I can kind of see what the hitters are doing and the hitters, just they were swinging and missing a lot, so I knew I could just put in the strike zone and hope if they hit it, I got the best defense behind me.”

Clark feels the offense stringing hits together the way they did in the final 3 innings will help the confidence of Missouri Valley moving forward.

“Getting hits together really puts our team more up and just lets us all go out there with confidence just to hit the ball and move everyone around.”

With the win, Missouri Valley sweeps the two-game season series with Audubon for the first time since 2016.

View past scores by visiting the Iowa High School Athletic Association's website, Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union website,
or Iowa Quik Stats