Prep baseball: Jakob McNally allows 1 hit, scores 4 times in Indian Creek’s 5-inning win over Hiawatha

KIRKLAND – Jakob McNally’s success against Hiawatha on the hill wasn’t a big secret.

The Indian Creek pitcher said he just relied on his fastball and let the pieces fall into place in the Timberwolves’ 18-2 win over Hiawatha on Friday.

“Just go back to the heat, put it in the zone and hope it gets by them or my team can make the play in the field,” said McNally, who struck out six, walked three and allowed one earned run and one hit in the five-inning complete game.

After an 0-10 start to the year, the Timberwolves (2-10, 2-2 Little Ten) swept the Hawks (1-7, 0-2) and hope to gain a little momentum heading into next week, when they have four conference games.

McNally said the biggest difference in the two wins against the Hawks – IC won 12-3 on Thursday in Shabbona – was the team has been a lot more cohesive.

“We’ve seen a lot of better at-bats,” McNally said. “A lot of people are seeing better pitches. There’s been better base running, but really just coming together as a team has been big these last two wins.”

Coach Kevin Poterek said the togetherness and energy of the Timberwolves has markedly improved since earlier in the season.

“The main thing is it’s nice for us to get a win,” Poterek said. “It’s been a slow start to the season so it’s nice to see the guys having fun, being a team. We’ve been missing that component for some of our games. It was a well-put-together game for us.”

Indian Creek scored nine runs in each of the third and fifth innings. All 12 of Hiawatha’s errors came in those two innings, as did 11 of Indian Creek’s 13 hits.

McNally had a double in the win, reached twice on errors and scored four runs.

“Those errors they make and the hits we have, it really gives everyone a little sense of ease,” McNally said. “You get more comfortable as you play the game. So it’s nice.”

McNally and Jeffrey Probst reached on back-to-back errors to start the third inning, then Tyler Bogle had an RBI single to put the Timberwolves ahead 2-0. Kian Pierson added an RBI single later in the frame, Probst had a two-run double and Bogle an RBI double.

Probst, Kason Murry, Pearson and Derrick Milostan had RBI singles in the fifth.

Bogle and Probst finished with three hits each, with Probst scoring four times. Murry and Pearson had two hits each, with Pearson scoring twice and driving in three runs out of the No. 9 spot in the order.

The Hawks scored their only runs in the bottom of the third. Matt Block walked and scored on an error, and Tommy Butler singled and scored on a groundout by starting pitcher Zach Edwards.

Edwards went 4 1/3 innings, allowing 11 runs, three of which were earned. He struck out three and walked five. None of the seven runs allowed by reliever Jackson Davenport were earned.

“He tried his very best,” Hiawatha coach Sam Gallucci said of Edwards. “He really did. But he can’t do it by himself. ... It’s more than just one guy. Those guys in the field have to back up that pitcher.”