DES MOINES — Payback may or may not have been a key factor in Iowa City West’s state baseball victory over Sioux City North.

But North coach Brian Drent remembers how badly his team wanted to beat Marshalltown in the first round of the 2009 state tournament after losing to the Bobcats in its 2008 state opener.

North beat Iowa City West 4-0 in last year’s 4-A championship game.

“It crossed my mind this morning,’’ Drent said. “We went through the same thing last year, and how jacked up you are to play the team that beat you the year before.’’

Iowa City West played inspired baseball Wednesday, beating North in all phases for an 11-1, six-inning victory in the Class 4-A quarterfinals at Principal Park.

“I think they had kind of some of the same swagger on today,’’ Drent said of West. “They came out ready to play.’’

The fifth-seeded and fourth-rated Trojans (29-8) advance to Friday’s 6 p.m. semifinal against top-seeded and second-rated Dubuque Hempstead (33-3).

Fourth-seeded and seventh-rated Sioux City North, the Missouri River Activities Conference champion, closed at 29-11. The Stars were appearing at state for the sixth time and the third straight season.

The second through fifth batters in the Iowa City West lineup battered North’s pitching staff. Sean Moore, Neil Madsen, Ryan Rumpf and Spence Bonner combined to go 9 for 12 with four RBIs.

By the end of four innings, West had built an 8-1 lead.

“They’ve had good years, but when they all click like that, it makes the game easier for us,’’ West coach Charlie Stumpff said. “You just turn them loose. If people aren’t really exceptional, they’re going to have good days on them.’’

North’s best chance to make it a game came in the top of the third when it trailed just 2-0. Danny Rudeen led off with a double, took third on Blake Meacham’s infield single and scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-1.

Meacham took second on the wild pitch, and with no outs Damek Tomscha bounced one to shortstop. Meacham tried to go to third and was thrown out easily for the first out. Rumpf then retired the next two batters to end the threat.

Rumpf, the starter in last year’s championship game, scattered three hits and allowed just one earned run in six innings.

“Only getting three hits and one run, that’s not the way we played all year,’’ North senior Damek Tomscha said. “But we still had a special season, I think. People believed we could get back here, and we did. We just didn’t perform when we got here.’’

Drent said he’ll leave with fond memories of his 10 seniors. He won’t concern himself with the final score of the final game.

“I’m not going to think of 11-1,’’ he said. “I’m going to think we got beat in the first round of the state tournament. Whether it’s 3-2 or 1-0, if you get beat, you get beat.

“I wish we would have played a little bit classier and been a little bit more representative of what we’ve done the whole year. But the reality is we got beat.’’

Sioux City North (29-11).................001 000—1 3 1
Iowa City West (29-8)............................203 303—11 12 1
W: Ryan Rumpf (11-0). L: Eric McGlauflin (8-3). 2B: SCN, Danny Rudeen. ICW, Rumpf.

Contact the writer:

444-1055, kevin.white@owh.com

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