The 2026 Ankeny Christian baseball squad etched a milestone into the school's history books by reaching the state tournament for the first time, a feat that had eluded the program for years.
A Historic Run Cut Short
Their run, however, met its match on Monday, July 20, when Newman Catholic edged them 9‑4 in the quarterfinals, ending the Eagles' dream of a championship.
The game began with early fireworks, as Ankeny Christian struck first with two runs in the second inning, only to watch Newman Catholic answer with a solitary run in the third before pulling ahead.
Key moments and turning points
Lucas Erickson opened the mound for the Eagles, delivering four innings that included one hit, an earned run and seven walks while striking out three, before Tyler Davis took over and surrendered four hits and three earned runs in the final two frames.
Newman Catholic capitalized on five unearned runs, turning a 2‑1 deficit into a 5‑3 lead that they held for the remainder of the contest.
Despite the loss, the Eagles finished the season with a 29‑6 record, a testament to their consistency and depth, having spread the hits across seven different players, including multi‑hit performances from Lucas Herbel and Braley Miller.