Bats wake up for home opener vs. McCook

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa-  It was a beautiful day to open up the home season on the new turf at Doc Ross Field.  The Iowa Western Reivers scored 9 runs on 17 hits as they were led by sophomore first baseman Kevin Starr (3-for-4, 2 R, 2 2B, SB), freshman catcher Levi Meyer (2-for-3, R, 2 RBI), freshman second baseman Sam Bumpers (1-for-1, R, BB, 2 RBI, SB), and freshman shortstop Chris Waylock (3-for-6).  Consistently adding runs throughout the game and pitchers putting up goose eggs in return put the Reivers above .500 (11-10) with a 9-2 victory over McCook Community College. 

Meyer and Starr led the second inning off with singles and would each move up on a wild pitch.  Freshman center fielder Ryan Popescu would reach on a walk to load the bases.  Bumpers scored Meyer on a sacrifice fly to center field and Waylock would single in the hole at shortstop.  Starr would score on a wild pitch to give the home team a 2-0 lead. 

In the third inning, freshman third baseman Damek Tomshca (1-for-4, 2 R, BB, HR, RBI) would drawl a lead-off walk.  Sophomore left fielder Tanner Moore (2-for-4, R, 3B, SB) followed with a single up the middle and Meyer would score Tomscha from third on a sacrifice fly to right field to give the Reivers a 3-1 lead. 

Bumpers reached on a lead-off walk in the fourth and would advance to third on a stolen base and throwing error by the catcher.  Freshman designated hitter Mike Wieland (1-for-4, RBI) would score Bumpers on a single up the middle for a 4-1 lead.  

The Reivers offense would add one run in the fifth and sixth innings before Tomshca led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a towering homerun to left-center field.  Freshman catcher John Mulgrue would get on base by hitting a single and moving up to third on a Starr double.  Sophomore center fielder Mitch Warne had a nice piece of hitting execution by grounding out to shortstop to score Mulgrue.  That fine piece of hitting was followed up by freshman right fielder David Bruchu's 2-strike single to bring home Starr and extend the lead to seven runs. 

That was all the help that was needed from the Reivers offense.  Starting right handed pitcher Paul Poirier (6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K) improved his record to 2-1 on the season.  Freshman right-handed pitcher Michael Hoppes threw two innings of relief and struck out four hitters.  Sophomore right hander Nick Hogue finished up the ninth inning by giving up one hit and striking out one.  The losing pitcher from McCook was Thomas Hanley. 

Iowa Western will leave Council Bluffs on Friday as they will be on the road all of next week during their Spring Break.  The team will be in Missouri all week and open up the road trip with Crowder College on Saturday, March 19th.  First pitch of the double header is scheduled for 1:00 PM CST.