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ALTA, Iowa -- Cleanup hitter Carson Reinert embodied his spot in the Alta-Aurelia baseball team's batting order during Wednesday's Iowa Class 1A, Substate 2 quarterfinal.
Reinert produced a game-best four RBIs on the strength of three hits, including a home run and a triple, while starting pitcher Cale Brechwald and reliever Evan Peterson combined for a four-hit shutout to power Alta-Aurelia to a 10-0, six-inning triumph over North Union.
North Union closes its season with a 10-10 overall record.
Alta-Aurelia (16-9) faces Bishop Garrigan (18-12) -- a 6-3 winner over Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn/Remsen Union (13-12) -- in a 7 p.m. substate semifinal Saturday night in Alta.
Carter Morphew and Colin Rasch each singled during the top of the first inning for North Union, but Brechwald recorded the first of his string of five consecutive strikeouts to avert any damage.
Reinert, who went 3-for-4, singled home Alta-Aurelia's initial run during the home half of the first. Brechwald assisted his own cause by singling up the middle, swiped second base, took third on a wild pitch and crossed the plate on Reinert's hit down the right-field line for a quick 1-0 lead.
After Brechwald struck out the side in the North Union second for half of his six strikeouts on the playoff game, Preston McCoy drilled an RBI single off the third baseman's glove to plate Peterson for a 2-0 margin. Peterson had reached on a bunt hit.
Allen Brenner, who went 2-for-3, generated the majority of his three RBIs on the game by smacking a two-run single with two out during Alta-Aurelia's three-run third at-bat. Sam Colerick delivered an RBI single during the bottom of the third, while Cade Ahnemann added a hit.
Reinert then tied McCoy for the seasonal team lead in HRs (4) and RBIs (26) by hammering a two-run homer in the three-run fourth before adding an RBI triple during the fifth frame.
North Union threatened to spoil the shutout bid when Jay Heinen drew a leadoff walk and courtesy runner Kolton Weisbrod advanced to third when Rasch's grounder was thrown away at second base during the top of the fourth.
Unfortunately for North Union, Reinert gloved a line-drive off Landon Hagedorn's bat and stepped on third base for a pivotal double play. Despite Ryan Haukoos' ensuing single, North Union did not score.
Heinen supplied a leadoff double in the North Union sixth, but he was stranded at third base when Peterson notched two of his three strikeouts to thwart the threat.
Brechwald improved to 11-3 on the season by allowing two hits in 3 2/3 shutout innings, while striking out six and walking one. Peterson gave up two hits in 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, striking out three and plunking one batter for Alta-Aurelia.
Heinen allowed eight runs -- five earned -- on 11 hits, while walking three without a strikeout in 3 2/3 innings to take the loss for North Union.
Hagedorn allowed two runs on two hits, walked two and hit two batters in 1 1/3 innings of relief.
NU 000 000 -- 0 4 2
AA 113 311 -- 10 13 1
Winning run scored with no outs in the bottom of the sixth inning.