Rebel baseball falls to Hudson in district final

TRAER – During a postseason run where defense was king, the Gladbrook-Reinbeck baseball team met its match in a Class 1A district final last Saturday night.
   Hudson was just as sharp defensively and had the right mixture of big hits and sound fundamentals to take advantage of a brief lapse in the Rebels' otherwise-sterling defense, pouncing on the opening in a 3-2 victory for the Pirates and ending G-R's season at 15-9.
   Both teams scored two runs each in the fourth inning, but Hudson struck the winning run with a seventh-inning sequence that started with a wild pitch on a swinging strike three that put the eventual winning run on first base.
   Hudson's next batter popped up a bunt that G-R starter Tyler Tscherter tried to get under for a potential double play, but the ball was just out of Tscherter's reach and both Pirates were safe at first and second.
   Another bunt put the Pirate runners at second and third with one out, and a sac fly brought the run across the plate for Hudson, as John Colsch just avoided a swinging tag from G-R catcher Walker Thede.
   Even G-R head coach Scott Kiburis couldn’t deny the irony of the situation after a stellar stretch of postseason pitching by the Rebels, including Joe Smoldt's no-hitter last Thursday against North Tama.
   "We pitch so well in the tournament and the thing that ends up beating us is a third-strike wild pitch," Kiburis said. "Tyler just went for that (bunt), if he makes a play it's a double play, if he doesn't go for that there's only a runner on second. Maybe that changes something, but they were able to lay down two good bunts and they play good fundamental baseball."
   Read the full story in this week's Grundy Register, or subscribe by calling (319) 824-6958 or clicking here. See below or click here for a gallery featuring photos from the Rebels' postseason run.