CARROLL — For 5 2/3 innings, Jack Vanfossan was unhittable, and that was more than enough to give Underwood its first state baseball championship with a 5-1 victory over New Hampton in the Class 2A title game Friday at Merchants Field.
Vanfossan had just given up five runs in less than one inning during Underwood's 8-7 semifinal victory over Chariton on Thursday. But with everything on the line Friday, he was in the zone.
Vanfossan held New Hampton without a run or hit, and he finished with four strikeouts and only two walks before he needed to come out of the game due to pitch count rules.
"Yesterday might have might have been the worst outing I think I ever had," Vanfossan said. "It was really hard to come back from that one, but today I really felt good. My fastball (felt good) and I got some help on my off-speed, so I was starting to throw that a little more. I had to flush yesterday, throw strikes and let my defense make the plays."
New Hampton's biggest threat came in the top of the fifth. Underwood made an error in the field, and Vanfossan hit New Hampton's Ty Robinson with a pitch to put runners on the corners with two outs.
But Vanfossan tagged Caden Rochford on a ground ball to get out of the jam.
Gus Bashore finished the game for Vanfossan. He ran into some trouble in the bottom of the seventh after New Hampton loaded the bases with one out. But a double play at second base ended the game to give the Eagles their first state title after placing second to Beckman Catholic a year ago.
"It was a sour taste after last year," Bashore said. "We got to the offseason ready to work. We knew we had a target on our backs coming off the No. 1 ranking, so we just got to work."
Underwood scored its first run in the bottom of the fourth inning when Bashore hit an RBI single down the third base line to score Vanfossan, who hit a one-out double.
The Eagles added a pair of runs in each of the next two innings.
Vanfossan and Bashore were both 2-for-3 with an RBI on offense. Easton Robertson went 2-for-3 with two runs, Garrett Luett doubled and scored, Mason Boothby finished 1-for-4 with an RBI and Luke Seidler was 1-for-2 with an RBI for the Eagles, who finished 30-2 for the season.
"No words to describe it," Vanfossan said. "We've been dreaming about this, and now it's finally there."
New Hampton finished its season at 29-7. The state runners-up thumped Aplington-Parkersburg,11-1, in the quarterfinals, and they downed Sumner-Fredericksburg, 7-3, in the semifinals to reach Friday's championship game.
"The six seniors I've had the pleasure of coaching have left a legacy for New Hampton baseball that will never be forgotten," said New Hampton coach Cory McDonald. "Every single one of these boys showed what is the best of New Hampton to the entire state of Iowa. We — parents, families and coaches — could not be prouder of every single one of them."
Joe Randleman covers high school sports for the Ames Tribune. Contact him at[email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at@JoeRandleman