Prep baseball: Bulldogs shut out East to wrap up Iowa Alliance play

OTTUMWA — The message was obviously received.

Ottumwa head baseball coach John Jaeger made it clear to the Bulldog baseball team on Saturday just how urgent the situation is after a rain-shortened doubleheader that saw Ottumwa drop a 13-3 decision to Davenport Central before the second game was called off due to weather tied at 6-6 in the bottom of the fourth inning. Less than a week before opening postseason play, nothing but the best will required moving forward if the Bulldogs hope to extend their season beyond this week.

The Bulldogs began their final week of the regular season with a pair of dominant shutout wins over Des Moines East to close out Iowa Alliance Conference play. The south division champions rolled to a 12-0 win over the Scarlets in game one, highlighted by a combined one-hitter by Jace Mitchell and Kinnick Monohon, before Mason Gravett's third hit of the doubleheader drove in the final run of a 10-0 victory in game two featuring by a three-hit shutout pitched by Nolan Heller.

"Obviously, our goal is be firing on all cylinders at this point of the season," Jaeger said. "It comes down to preparation. What did you do the day before to prepare for each game? That's athletics in general. It's all about how you prepare and finding your priorities."

Matthew Mitchell collected a pair of hits in the opening game, extending a five-run opening inning with an RBI infield single in the first inning before driving a pitch into right field in the second inning for a second straight RBI single that gave the Bulldogs a 10-0 lead. Heller helped his own cause at the plate in game two, going 2-2 while driving in two runs with two outs in opening frame giving Ottumwa an early 4-0 lead.

Ottumwa finishes Iowa Alliance Conference play with a 14-1 record, finishing 3.5 games ahead of Des Moines Roosevelt in the south division standings. The Bulldogs, now 22-11 overall, wraps up the regular season with a doubleheader against Southeast Polk on Tuesday at John Hart Stadium starting at 5 p.m.