Waverly-Shell Rock is celebrating its first state championship on the baseball diamond. The Go-Hawks flew past Harlan 11-1 in five innings to claim the Class-3A title at Principal Park in Des Moines on Saturday (Aug. 1, 2015).

The celebration began after an eight-run explosion in the fifth inning. For all tournament results, CLICK HERE.

The game was knotted at 1-1 through three-and-a-half innings before Waverly-Shell Rock broke the tie with back-to-back two-out RBI singles from Alex Robson and Cole Havlovic in the bottom of the fourth.

Both runs were unearned for the Go-Hawks as a fielding error by Harlan third baseman Nick Foss extended the inning. The mistake was one of many that hurt the Cyclones. They committed five miscues on the day on their way to allowing 10 unearned runs.

Robson, who started on the mound for Waverly-Shell Rock, set down Harlan in order in the top of the fifth inning as a part of a 10-straight batters retired streak. His pitching performance set-up the Go-Hawks' offensive explosion.

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After Josh Velky lined out to start the bottom half of the fifth, nine straight batters reached base. The game ended with Velky returning to the plate and delivering a walk-off, two-RBI double. During the outburst, the Go-Hawks recorded four singles, two doubles, one hit by pitch, and two plays in which they reached base on errors.

The eight-run inning was the third most runs scored in an inning during the 2015 tournament.

Harlan’s starter Brett Croghan was pushed from the game six batters into the fated-fifth inning before being replaced by Brandon O’Neill, who allowed two hits and a hit-by-pitch.

Croghan (5-2) took the loss, lasting 4.1 innings while allowing eight runs -- only one of which was earned. He allowed eight hits while being snake-bitten by five Cyclone errors.

Croghan went 1-1 in the tournament, earning a complete-game 4-0 win over Wahlert in the quarterfinals.

On the winning side was Robson, who improved to 11-0. The right-hander allowed one earned run on an RBI double to Brett Sears in the top of the first. Overall, Robson allowed two hits and two walks while striking out five.

Robson was backed up by a Go-Hawk offense that outhit Harlan 11-2. Dalton Steere, Robson and Velky led the way with two hits apiece. Robson and Velky both had two RBI as Steere scored twice.

Brothers Brett and Dillon Sears recorded both of Harlan’s hits, going a combined 2-for-5 at the plate.

The number three-seeded state runner-up Cyclones (28-8) will lose only two seniors, O’Neill and Mitch Kramer. The Go-Hawks (35-4) will lose five seniors, including three who started in the state championship game.

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