District baseball: D-NH, G-R, AGWSR to district finals

D-NH survives Mustang challenge on Wauters walk-off / Dike-New Hartford junior Zak Wauters hit a two-out RBI single to score Parker Kiewiet and lift the Wolverines past a competitive East Marshall squad, 2-1, in eight innings.

The Wolverines advance to Saturday's district final against Denver, scheduled for a 7 p.m. start in Dike.

In the top half of the eighth, the Mustangs had the bases loaded but Zak Wauters struck out Connor Hassin looking. Kiewiet got on base with a one-out single and was advanced to second on a Drew Sonnenberg sacrifice grounder. Reece Beuter received an intentional walk to bring up Wauters, who swung at the first pitch he saw from Jaron Johnson, carrying a hit to left-center to score Kiewiet streaking in from second.

Beuter was limited to 90 pitches in Tuesday's start, striking out 10 with two walks and one run allowed on five hits. 

Fifth-inning surge powers G-R to district final / Gladbrook-Reinbeck scored nine runs in the bottom of the fifth inning en route to an 11-5 victory over Belle Plaine in Reinbeck on Tuesday.

The Rebels advance to Saturday's district final against Don Bosco, scheduled for a 7 p.m. start at the George Wilhelm Sports Complex in Grundy Center.

In the top of the fifth, the Plainsmen had just scored to take a 3-2 lead before the Rebels sent 12 batters to the plate, scoring nine runs on two home runs, two doubles, four walks, and an error. Tyler Tscherter started the fifth with a solo home run and Keagan Giesking added a three-run home run to cap off the high-scoring inning.

Nick Tscherter earned the pitching victory with five innings pitched, allowing one earned run on seven hits with two strikeouts and one walk.

Forfeit puts AGWSR in district final / Test results for a Northwood-Kensett team member exposed to a person with COVID-19 were not received in time for Tuesday's district semifinal with AGWSR, and the Cougars advanced via forfeit to a district final at Mason City Newman at 7 p.m. on Saturday.

The Newman Knights are the three-time defending Class 1A champions.