The Hawks started the week with a 7-0 and 3-1 double header sweep of WaMaC Conference opponent Benton Community at Beckman Complex.

Starting pitcher BJ Hermsen tossed a complete game in game one, allowing no runs on just two hits while striking out nine Bobcat batters.

The two Bobcat hits, singles in the fifth and sixth innings were the only baserunners that Hermsen allowed in the contest.

The Hawks scored a pair of runs in the third inning on back to back hits by Nate Lahr and Justin Gideon.

West Delaware sent nine batters to the plate in the sixth inning, scoring five runs to put the game away.

Big hits in the five run sixth came from the bats of BJ Hermsen and Justin Gideon as they both rapped long run scoring doubles.

Game two was a bit more dramatic as the Hawks claimed a 3-1 victory.

Starting and winning pitcher Phil Keppler helped his own cause with a two run home run in the bottom of the third inning to give the Hawks a 2-0 lead.

Benton Community cut the Hawk lead in half with a lone run in the top of the fifth on walk an error and a single.

However the Hawks answered that run in the home half of the sixth to complete the two game sweep with a 3-1 victory in game two.

Keppler went the distance for the Hawks, allowing one run on three hits while striking out 13 Bobcat batters.

Offensively the Hawks were led by Phil Keppler (2 for 3 with 2 RBI’s), Zach McCool (2 for 4), Nate Lahr (1 for 3), Jamie Vaske (2 for 3) and Brad McDonald (1 for 3).

On Wednesday night the Hawks hosted the Eagles of Dubuque Wahlert where they recorded a 4-3 come from behind victory.

Wahlert held a 2-0 lead heading into the home half of the sixth inning as the Hawk bats had been silenced for the first five innings.

However in the bottom of the sixth BJ Hermsen led off with a walk and Nate Lahr singled. Justin Gideon, batting in the sixth position, followed with a huge three run home run over the left center field fence to give the Hawks a 3-2 lead.

In the top of the sixth inning Justin (Gideon) had gunned down a Wahlert base runner at home plate with a perfect throw from deep center field to snuff out a Golden Eagle scoring opportunity.

He came in to relieve starting pitcher Zach McCool in the seventh inning to pick up the save.

The Hawks had just six hits against Wahlert pitchers, one each by Chris Harbaugh, Phil Keppler, Zach McCool, BJ Hermsen, Nate Lahr, Justin Gideon and Garrett Linderwell.

On Friday night the Hawks traveled to Monticello for a non-conference double header with the Panthers of Monticello.

Game one lasted just five innings as the Hawks outscored the Panthers 15-4.

After scoring a pair of runs on a two run home run by Phil Keppler in the first inning the Hawks broke the game wide open with a eight run third inning.

West Delaware sent 12 batters to the plate during the third as they banged out six hits.

After a scoreless fourth the Hawks tallied five more runs in the fifth, two on a two run home run by Brad McDonald and two more on a single by Nate Lahr.

Chris Harbaugh was the winning pitcher, giving up four runs on six hits while striking out two and waling none.

In game two the Hawks Mitch Mormann and Garrett Linderwell combined for a four hit shut out, 14-0 over the Panthers.

Mormann tossed the first four and a third innings with Linderwell going the final two and two thirds.

The Hawks played 20 players in game two.

West Delaware scored four runs in the first, one in the second, two in the fourth one in the fifth and six in the seventh to post the 14-0 victory.

The Hawks totaled 10 hits and were aided by six Monticello errors.

Getting hits for the Hawks were Brad McDonald (1 for 3), Phil Keppler (1 for 1), Zach McCool (1 for 3), Tom Gaffney (1 for 1), BJ Hermsen (1 for 4), Nate Lahr (1 for 3), Justin Gideon (1 for 2), Jamie Vaske (1 for 3), Chris Harbaugh (1 for 3) and Bryce Ogea (1 for 1).

The Hawks will have a busy week this week as they host Western Dubuque on Monday night, and traveled to Dubuque Senior on Tuesday night before heading to Marion for a big WaMaC Conference double header against the Indians on Thursday night.

The Hawks started the week with a double header sweep of WaMaC Conference opponent South Tama, in Manchester.

The Hawks topped the Trojans 8-1 in game one and came back to claim the second game by a score of 11-1.

In game one against the Trojans starting pitcher Katie Murphy hurled an 11 strikeout, one hitter for the Hawks.

Emily Prinsen and Sara Hermsen each drove in a pair of runs with Prinsen going one for three at the plate and Hermsen two for four.

Ashley Hood had a pair of infield singles while Lindsay McDowell, Jenny Hood and Kayla Bries also banged out hits for the Hawks.

In game two Megan Rolfes spun a three hitter as the Hawks scored early and often to cruise to an 11-1 victory.

Five Hawks had multiple hits against the Trojans; Ashley Hood was two for four with an RBI, Katlyn Heiserman was three for three with a run batted in, Emily Prinsen was two for four with and RBI. Sara Hermsen and Jenny Hood each had two hits with Hermsen driving in three runs and Hood one.

On Wednesday night the Hawks traveled to Benton Community where they recorded another WaMaC Conference double header sweep.

The Hawks won game one 11-4 behind the 10 strikeout pitching of Katie Murphy.

The Hawks got things going with a five run second inning when Renee Bockenstedt slapped a bases loaded single. Bockenstedt finished the night with two hits and five runs batted in.

Ashley Hood was the other hitting star for the Hawks as she had a pair of hits, two runs batted in and three stolen bases.

In game two the Hawks got a pair of runs in the first inning and made them stand up for a 2-0 win over the Bobcats.

Ashley Hood reached on an error to start the game and scored on Katlyn Heiserman’s double. Two batters later Sara Hermsen singled to drive in Heiserman to give the Hawks a 2-0 lead.

Pitcher Megan Rolfes and the Hawk defense took care of the rest of the game for the victorious Hawks.

Katie Wessels got her bat going as she pounded out a pair of doubles.

Rolfes scattered three hits and struck out seven in tossing her complete game victory.

On Friday the Hawks traveled to Jesup for the J-Hawk Invitational Tournament.

In their first game West Delaware topped the Hawks of North Fayette, 7-2.

The Hawks jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when four of the first five batters got hits. Renee Bockenstedt drove in the first Hawk run with a single and Lindsey McDowell plated the next two with a long double off the left center field fence.

The Hawks added a single run in the third on a RBI single by Katie Wessels and two more runs in the fourth to take a 6-2 lead.

The winning pitcher was Megan Rolfes who tossed the first four innings, giving up two runs on just five hits. Katie Murphy threw the last three innings, striking out six and allowing no hits.

The Hawks second game of the day was against Waterloo East where they defeated the Trojans 17-0.

The Hawks scored three runs in the second, eight in the third and six more in the fourth to end the game early.

The Hawks banged out 15 hits to back up the no-hit, eight strikeout pitching performance of Katie Murphy.

Leading hitters for the Hawks were Katlyn Heiserman (3 for 3), Sara Hermsen (3 for 4 with 2 RBI’s), Renee Bockenstedt (2 for 3), Jenny Hood (2 for 2), and Kayla Bries (2 for 3 with 3 RBI’s).

Saturday’s action was rained out and will not be rescheduled.

This week the Hawks have four important WaMaC Conference games.

Monday night they are at Western Dubuque before hosting Marion on Wednesday evening. The weekend will be a full one as the Hawks host their annual West Delaware Invitational on Friday and Saturday.

Opening games for the Hawk tournament on Friday are as follows: West Delaware vs. Clayton Ridge at 9:00 a.m.; Independence vs. North Linn at 9:00 a.m.; CR Washington vs. North Fayette at 10:30 p.m.; Monticello vs. Cresco at 10:30 p.m.; Oelwein vs. Starmont at 10:30 p.m.; Dubuque Wahlert vs. Ed-Co at noon; Bettendorf vs. East Buchanan at noon; and Williamsburg vs. Maquoketa Valley at noon.

The championship contest is slated for 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.