ihsaa recaps
Baseball Unforgettable summer, state tournament amid pandemic-shortened 2020 season It was the season that somehow happened. And despite a delayed start, shortened schedule, challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic, and some teams facing delays or withdrawals, Iowa high school baseball (and softball for girls) was the first organized team sport back on the field in the United States in summer 2020. The student-athletes, coaches, umpires, school administrators, medical personnel, school staff, and parents and fans made a litany of health and safety adjustments throughout the summer. It resulted in the 2020 IHSAA State Baseball Tournament being played on-time and on-site at Principal Park in Des Moines, wrapping up with the four scheduled championship games on Saturday, August 1. The IHSAA's spring sports were canceled in March after state government canceled in-person schooling and activities, and summer sports seemed headed for a similar fate in April and May. Once high school baseball and softball were given the greenlight on May 20 for a June 1 practice start and June 15 games, teams raced to get ready and pack a whole summer's worth of action and memories into just a few weeks. There were new sanitary and safety measures across the state, and positive COVID-19 tests and exposures to the virus sidelined several teams. Ultimately, 12 of the 338 participating teams were forced to withdraw from the postseason due to the virus. With masks and sanitizing and social distancing recommendations in place, the state tournament was played at an otherwise empty Principal Park – Minor League Baseball had its season canceled – with fewer than 2,000 seats available and open for spectators, with reserved single-game tickets designed for a safe stadium setup. The overall tournament experience was certainly altered, but teams were thrilled to be taking the field and played eight days of thrilling baseball to wrap up an unforgettable summer season.
Photo Captions (Top-Bottom) 4A: Johnston (left) outlasted Ankeny in a high-scoring CIML showdown for the 4A title, scoring five runs in the 6th to win 11-8. 3A: Norwalk won its third state baseball title behind big performances at the plate, run-ruling Marion in the semifinals and scoring eight runs on Gilbert early in the final. 2A: Van Meter repeated as champs with Anthony Potthoff pitching in two shutout performances against Treynor and then Des Moines Christian. 1A: Don Bosco, Gilbertville (fielding) won its first baseball title since 1978 and topped three-time defending champion Newman Catholic, Mason City in the process.
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IHSAA Bulletin
