Stars, Black Raiders clash in 4A substate final
North's McArdle making eighth career postseason start
By Jerry GieseJournal sports writer | Posted: Wednesday, July 16, 2008
What does Dean McArdle bring to the table as a standout pitcher at North High?
Tonight, the junior will make his eighth career postseason start on the mound when the No. 2 Stars take a 36-4 record into a Class 4A substate final against East (26-9) in a game that will start at 7 p.m. at Lewis and Clark Park.
McArdle (10-0, 0.71 ERA) hasn't tasted defeat since his freshman year when Mason City scored a 9-2 win in a 4A substate final.
"Without a doubt, Dean's strength is his competitive nature," said North Coach Brian Drent. "He has pitched in a lot of big games since his eighth-grade year. This will be his third start in a substate final.
"After every postseason start, he has gotten better. His fastball has been dominant, he has a good curveball and he attacks hitters."
McArdle, who has a 27-5 career record, is 2-0 against East this year. He has yielded just 29 hits in 59 innings while striking out 84.
East has 15 hits against North's ace.
"You have to be ready to swing the bat against him," said East Coach Jared Ocker. "He'll challenge you and attack the strike zone. You don't see a pitcher of his type around here in terms of his velocity."
North's defense plays well behind a pitcher who generally has a 3-1 strike-to-ball ratio because McArdle works fast and stays ahead of hitters. Offensively, the Stars are batting .390 as a team and four players are at or over .400, topped by junior left fielder Nick Tillo, who's at .511 with six home runs and 79 RBIs.
Sophomore shortstop Damek Tomscha is batting .484 with nine home runs and 52 RBIs. Junior catcher Chad Piersma (.426, 1, 44) and senior center fielder Brian Wanner (.400, 4, 39) are part of a solid order with seven players with 20 or more RBIs.
Three of the top four batters in East's potent order are also above .400, topped by junior shortstop Jerad Barth, who's at .480 with six home runs and 38 RBIs. Leadoff batter Britt Anderson, a sophomore centerfielder, bats .431 with two homers and 24 RBIs while junior first baseman Scott Lahn (.447, 8, 38) bats cleanup.
East's biggest key, according to Ocker, is improving a defense that has committed nine errors in two substate games, five in Monday's 9-8 semifinal win over West at Lewis and Clark.
"We had four errors on up the middle, routine ground balls (against Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson) and three errors on bunts against West," said Ocker. "We've worked as hard on bunt coverage as any team in the state. We take pride in our situational work. You can't give North an opportunity to have a big inning."
EAST PROBABLE LINEUP (26-9)
CF -- Britt Anderson, So., .431, 2 HR, 24 RBI; SS -- Jerad Barth, Jr., .480, 6 HR, 38 RBI; C -- Richard Swann, Jr., .367, 2 HR, 29 RBI; 1B -- Scott Lahn, Jr. .447, 8 HR, 38 RBI; DH -- Cory Rasmussen, Jr., .327, 0 HR, 17 RBI; RF -- John Keilman, Jr., .379, 1 HR, 14 RBI; 2B -- Jayson Hinrichsen, Fr., .390, 0 HR, 21 RBI; LF -- Alec McManamy .267, 0 HR, 3 RBI.
NORTH PROBABLE LINEUP (36-4)
P-Dean McArdle, Jr., .373, 4 HR, 21 RBI; CF -- Brian Wanner, Sr., .400, 4 HR, 39 RBI; SS -- Damek Tomscha, So., .484, 9 HR, 52 RBI; LF -- Nick Tillo, Jr., .511, 6 HR, 79 RBI; C -- Chad Piersma, .426, 1 HR, 44 RBI; 3B -- Max Martin, Sr., .337, 3 HR, 22 RBI; 1B -- Bo Smith, .302, 0 HR, 24 RBI; 2B -- Matt Negaard, .364, 0 HR, 18 RBI; RF -- Andrew Deck, .380, 0 HR, 6 RBI.
Tonight, the junior will make his eighth career postseason start on the mound when the No. 2 Stars take a 36-4 record into a Class 4A substate final against East (26-9) in a game that will start at 7 p.m. at Lewis and Clark Park.
McArdle (10-0, 0.71 ERA) hasn't tasted defeat since his freshman year when Mason City scored a 9-2 win in a 4A substate final.
"Without a doubt, Dean's strength is his competitive nature," said North Coach Brian Drent. "He has pitched in a lot of big games since his eighth-grade year. This will be his third start in a substate final.
"After every postseason start, he has gotten better. His fastball has been dominant, he has a good curveball and he attacks hitters."
McArdle, who has a 27-5 career record, is 2-0 against East this year. He has yielded just 29 hits in 59 innings while striking out 84.
East has 15 hits against North's ace.
"You have to be ready to swing the bat against him," said East Coach Jared Ocker. "He'll challenge you and attack the strike zone. You don't see a pitcher of his type around here in terms of his velocity."
North's defense plays well behind a pitcher who generally has a 3-1 strike-to-ball ratio because McArdle works fast and stays ahead of hitters. Offensively, the Stars are batting .390 as a team and four players are at or over .400, topped by junior left fielder Nick Tillo, who's at .511 with six home runs and 79 RBIs.
Sophomore shortstop Damek Tomscha is batting .484 with nine home runs and 52 RBIs. Junior catcher Chad Piersma (.426, 1, 44) and senior center fielder Brian Wanner (.400, 4, 39) are part of a solid order with seven players with 20 or more RBIs.
Three of the top four batters in East's potent order are also above .400, topped by junior shortstop Jerad Barth, who's at .480 with six home runs and 38 RBIs. Leadoff batter Britt Anderson, a sophomore centerfielder, bats .431 with two homers and 24 RBIs while junior first baseman Scott Lahn (.447, 8, 38) bats cleanup.
East's biggest key, according to Ocker, is improving a defense that has committed nine errors in two substate games, five in Monday's 9-8 semifinal win over West at Lewis and Clark.
"We had four errors on up the middle, routine ground balls (against Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson) and three errors on bunts against West," said Ocker. "We've worked as hard on bunt coverage as any team in the state. We take pride in our situational work. You can't give North an opportunity to have a big inning."
EAST PROBABLE LINEUP (26-9)
CF -- Britt Anderson, So., .431, 2 HR, 24 RBI; SS -- Jerad Barth, Jr., .480, 6 HR, 38 RBI; C -- Richard Swann, Jr., .367, 2 HR, 29 RBI; 1B -- Scott Lahn, Jr. .447, 8 HR, 38 RBI; DH -- Cory Rasmussen, Jr., .327, 0 HR, 17 RBI; RF -- John Keilman, Jr., .379, 1 HR, 14 RBI; 2B -- Jayson Hinrichsen, Fr., .390, 0 HR, 21 RBI; LF -- Alec McManamy .267, 0 HR, 3 RBI.
NORTH PROBABLE LINEUP (36-4)
P-Dean McArdle, Jr., .373, 4 HR, 21 RBI; CF -- Brian Wanner, Sr., .400, 4 HR, 39 RBI; SS -- Damek Tomscha, So., .484, 9 HR, 52 RBI; LF -- Nick Tillo, Jr., .511, 6 HR, 79 RBI; C -- Chad Piersma, .426, 1 HR, 44 RBI; 3B -- Max Martin, Sr., .337, 3 HR, 22 RBI; 1B -- Bo Smith, .302, 0 HR, 24 RBI; 2B -- Matt Negaard, .364, 0 HR, 18 RBI; RF -- Andrew Deck, .380, 0 HR, 6 RBI.
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