Izzaq Zrust, Hall enjoy the moment against Princeton

SPRING VALLEY - Izzaq Zrust stepped atop the mound at Kirby Park’s Foley Field on Thursday, paused and took it all in.

It was going to be the Hall senior’s last outing on his home field and he wanted to savor the moment. He made it a memorable one, pitching the Red Devils to a sweep of rival Princeton with a 4-1 victory in Three Rivers East play.

“This year, (the field) looks so pretty. Just trying to take it in,” he said. “It was really a nice night for some baseball. It was a little windy, but I was just trying to take some pictures in my head.”

The senior southpaw scattered four hits with a walk while fanning 10 over 6 2/3 innings. The run he allowed was unearned. The only thing that didn’t work out was his pitch count, which ran out with one batter to go.

“I was getting tired toward the end, but I was trying to dig in and do what I could do,” Zrust said.

The Tigers (9-10-1, 5-5) struck first in the top of the first inning. Ace Christiansen led off the game with a double to center and came in to score when Jordan Reinhardt reached on a Hall error.

Hall (16-10, 5-3) went right to work in the home half of the first. Luke Bryant stroked a line drive single to left. Greyson Bickett reached on a fielder’s choice, then stole second and reached third on a throwing error.

Jack Jablonski singled home Bickett to tie the game at 1. Noah Plym reached on a safety squeeze, scoring Jablonski to put the Red Devils up 2-1.

The Red Devils lost a runner at the plate in the second when Jack Curran led off with a double and was gunned down by Princeton third baseman Nolan Kloepping on a fielder’s choice.

However, Hunter Edgcomb, who bunted his way on, scored when coach Tom Keegan called for another safety squeeze with Bickett at-bat, to make it 3-1.

“When you see the flag blowing in, kind of knew it was going to be a low-scoring affair. Early on, we were able to get some guys on, get them over and then get them across,” Keegan said.

Clayton Fusinetti led off the Red Devils’ fourth with a single to center and came around to score on Bickett’s single to left field. Edgcomb was thrown out at the plate following Fusinetti, but the Red Devils went up 4-1.

Zrust, who will pitch for DeMoines Area Community College next year, said he felt good on the mound and appreciated the early run support.

“I was definitely missing a little bit on the offspeed, but I was able to execute between the fastball and change-up two seam,” he said. (We) only made one error in the field. That works for me. Having confidence in my defense makes you pitch better.

“When these guys are able to score for me, put a couple early - I gave up one in the first - that makes you feel better, makes you pitch better.”

He said the strong wind blowing left to right played to his advantage.

“As a lefty, it’s moving arm side for me. Sinker, changeup all day. It was working well,” he said.

“When he pitches, he’s going to strike some guys out. The balls that are put into play, we’ve got to make plays and for the most part, we are able to do that,” Keegan said.

Eight different Hall hitters collected hits with Jack Curran doubling.

Reinhardt had half of Princeton’s four hits with a 2 for 3 day at the plate.

Senior right-hander Luke Smith, who is one of the few remaining healthy arms for the Tigers, scattered eight hits and a walk over six innings, striking out four.

“It was a good ball game. We just didn’t hit enough,” PHS coach Wick Warren said. “The kid struck out 11, I think. We got four or five hits. We’ve got to put more together against good teams.”

The win was the Red Devils’ third straight and fifth out of their last seven games.

“Seems like we’ve been playing a little bit better,” Keegan said. “We’re still making some mistakes, some high school mistakes. Which we’ve got to teach and correct and hopefully they do get corrected. Compared to where we were early in the season, we’re probably better than where we were. Hopefully, we’ll continue to trend with the postseason coming up.”