Lisbon baseball made four trips to the Maquoketa Valley baseball field in the final two weeks of the season.
The last trip was the least fun. Which is saying something because one trip was just a 3-hour rain delay.
Maquoketa Valley beat Lisbon, 13-4, on Tuesday, July 7, in a Class 1A District 9 semifinal.
The Wildcats were leading 6-4 when they exploded for seven runs in the sixth inning.
“And with two outs, two strikes, and no one on base,” Lisbon Coach Lance Kamaus said. “It is one of the crazier deals I’ve seen.”
Starting pitcher Ian Whittenbaugh was working on a 3-hitter at the two-strike, two-out point. Then Maquoketa Valley got a single up the middle. Then a bunt single. “And it just opened up,” Kamaus said.
“The final score was very deceptive,” Kamaus said. “It was a close game until the last 10 minutes.”
Lisbon finished the season 18-10. Taking another step forward after a 11-15 season in 2025, and a 5-24 season in 2024.
“And with the rainouts and cancellations, we could’ve had 20-plus wins,” Kamaus said. “That is saying something.”
The Lions also got a postseason win for the first time since a state runner-up finish in 2023.
Lisbon opened district play with a 20-1 win over North Cedar on Monday, July 6, in Delhi.
The Lions scored 14 runs in the bottom of the first inning, and six more in the third inning.
“And we had to wiggle out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning,” Kamaus said.
Senior pitcher Carew Kamaus notched two strikeouts with the bases loaded to contain the damage to one run.
The Lions had 12 hits, led by Bryce Boots who hit 2-for-2 with a home run and 4 RBIs.
Ethan Stone hit 3-for-3 with two doubles and 2 RBIs, Elliott Moehlman had two singles, and Carew Kamaus hit a double and had 3 RBIs.
“That was Bryce’s first home run of his career,” Coach Kamaus said. “We really hit the ball well. We had not gotten a postseason win in a couple of years. I was happy for the boys.”
The other trip to Delhi was a 12-0 regular-season win over Maquoketa Valley back on June 30.
The Lions say farewell to seven seniors.