Wildcats season ends at state

 DES MOINES — The Durant Wildcat baseball team saw their season come to an end on Monday
night at the state baseball tournament. The Wildcats suffered a 2-1 loss to North Linn in one of four Class 2A state quarterfinals.
 The Wildcats were the seven-seed and unranked and were playing the two-seed, and second ranked North Linn. The Lynx won the Class 2A 2019 state title.
 North Linn scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh to grab the victory. The Lynx won on a walk-off RBI single by senior Parker Brechen, advancing to the 2A semifinals.
 Before the Lynx’s late-inning heroics, it was a low-scoring defensive battle at the hands of a complete pitching duel. North Linn’s Austin Hilmer pitched all seven innings, allowing
just two hits while striking out six. After Durant scored in the top of the first, Hilmer held the Wildcats scoreless the rest of the way.
 Durant starter Nate Dierickx put together an equally excellent start as well. Dierickx pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing just two runs on five hits and seven strikeouts.
 Dierickx and the Wildcats needed one more out in the bottom of the seventh to advance. However, the Lynx rallied, scoring two runs with two outs to secure the win.
 Dierickx took the loss and struck out seven and walked two. He gave up five hits and two runs. Durant had two hits in the game, one each from Logan Callison, and another by Brendan Paper. Callison drove in a run and have a double.
 North Linn will face Des Moines Christian on Thursday in the 2A semifinals. Watch for more Durant state coverage in next week’s sports pages.