Ravens Clip No. 2 Savages in District Thriller
Ravens take down No. 2 Savages
Hillcrest Academy holds off Sigourney for 1A upset
Article Credit: Hunter Moeller /Southeast Iowa UnionHillcrest Academy’s Rylan Good reaches down for an RBI single, which ended up being the game winner against Sigourney on Saturday, July 12, 2025 in the district final. (Hunter Moeller/The Union)
SIGOURNEY — Hillcrest Academy pulled off one of the biggest upsets across the state on Saturday night, taking down No. 2-ranked Sigourney 5-4 in the Class 1A District 5 final.
The Ravens (16-7) and Savages (22-4) each scored a run in the first inning, but a three-run burst by Hillcrest in the second gave them a 4-1 lead, a lead they would never relinquish.
Anchored by stellar defense and a gritty performance from ace Seth Ours, Hillcrest made key plays throughout. Ours escaped a jam in the second inning with runners on second and third by recording a clutch strikeout. In the third, the Ravens retired the side in order, building momentum on both sides of the ball.
“I knew coming in that they were one of the best hitting teams in 1A,” Ours said. “I just tried to stick with what I know, which is pitching to contact, which can be a scary thing with a good hitting team, but my team has done a great job back me up. It’s always great playing behind a strong defense.”
Neither team scored in the third or fourth innings, but the action picked up in the fifth.
Hillcrest Academy’s Mason Bender hits his cutoff from center field on Saturday, July 12, 2025 against Sigourney in the two’s district final bout. (Hunter Moeller/The Union)
Hillcrest appeared ready to blow the game open after back-to-back walks to start the top half of the fifth. However, a sharp double play from third to first gave Sigourney the upper hand — until Rylan Good stepped up.
The sophomore came through with a well-placed single that scored Liam Schrock from second, pushing the lead to 5-1. That run proved to be the difference-maker.
Hillcrest Academy’s Seth Ours runs down a pop-up against Sigourney in the pair’s 1A district final on Saturday, July 12, 2025. (Hunter Moeller/The Union)
But Sigourney, known as one of the top-hitting teams in 1A all season, wasn’t going down quietly.
Caden Clarahan, who had already homered earlier in the game, nearly went deep again in the bottom of the fifth but settled for an RBI single to cut the lead to 5-2. Then Isaac Bruns crushed a two-run homer to suddenly make it a one-run game, 5-4.
From there, Hillcrest leaned on its defense. The Ravens managed just one hit in the final two innings, but their defense limited Sigourney to two hits over the same stretch.
Rowan Miller took over in the seventh and delivered under pressure. He retired the first two batters, gave up a hit, and then induced a pop fly to end the game.
“Just really excited for our guys,” Hillcrest Academy head coach Danny Hershberger said. “They’ve worked really hard to have an opportunity like this and to see them have success it great. We have a lot of seniors, a bunch of guys with a lot of experience. Really proud of them.”
Seth Ours led Hillcrest Academy with two hits and two RBIs in the win. Rylan Good had two hits and an RBI as well. Lincoln Miller also had two hits. Rowan Miller finished with one RBI.
On the hill, Ours pitched six innings, giving up six hits, four runs (four earned) with three strikeouts. Miller came in the seventh and gave up one hit.
Hillcrest Academy will now play Pekin for a state tournament bid.
Hillcrest Academy’s Lincoln Miller snags a line drive in right field on Saturday, July 12, 2025 against Sigourney in the district final. (Hunter Moeller/The Union)
Hillcrest Upsets No. 2 Sigourney to Win District Championship
Article Credit: KCII
The Hillcrest Academy Ravens (16-7) held off a late comeback by the No. 2 Sigourney Savages (22-4) to secure the District 9 Championship and advance to the substate finals on Tuesday.
The upstart Ravens jumped on top early, taking advantage of an error by Sigourney center fielder Isaac Bruns to take an early 1-0 lead. Sigourney erased that deficit quickly with a first-inning solo home run by Caden Clarahan, tying the game at one.
Hillcrest kept things rolling at the plate, though, putting five consecutive batters on base and scoring three runs in the second, capping the inning off with a two-RBI single by starting pitcher Seth Ours.
Ours took advantage of his run support, throwing three scoreless innings in the second, third and fourth, stranding four runners in the process. He got an extra insurance run in the fifth to make it 5-1, but that’s when Sigourney’s bats came to life.
Brady Clark got on with a single and scored on a hit-and-run with Clarahan, bringing Bruns up to the plate. The senior southpaw dug in and drilled a no-doubt homer over the right-center fence to pull the game within a single run. Ours hit his pitch maximum as he escaped a jam in the bottom of the sixth, forcing Hillcrest to bring on junior Rowan Miller to try for the save with the most dangerous portion of one of the state’s best lineups approaching.
Lawson Schrock ranged to his right to field a tough ground ball and fired to first baseman Bryce Bailey for the first out of the inning. Miller got Clarahan to pop out for the second. Bruns reached on a single, though, bringing Chase Clarahan, who was second in class 1A with seven home runs, to the plate as the winning run.
Miller chose the right pitch against Chase, though, drawing a high fly ball that was pulled in by right fielder Lincoln Miller to end the game and secure the upset.
Ours got the win, allowing four runs, all earned, in six innings of work on five hits, two walks and three strikeouts. Miller earned the save, giving up just a single hit in his lone inning. The Hillcrest defense only gave up one error throughout the game, which Ours was able to wipe away in the third. He described the impact of the defense behind him on his pitching, “Guys are going to put it in play, but knowing that my defense is going to do their best to make plays behind me and that I can count on them and that we’re going to get outs, that’s important.”
Landon Conrad took the loss, allowing four runs, three of which were earned, on four hits, no walks and three strikeouts. Hunter Sellers gave up one run in 1.2 innings of relief, while Chase Clarahan threw the final 2.1 innings, holding Hillcrest scoreless, including striking out the final four Ravens who stepped into the box.
Miller led Hillcrest at the plate, going two for three while scoring a run and knocking in an RBI. He also reached on a hit by pitch. Ours wasn’t far behind, knocking in two RBIs in a two for four effort.
Sigourney was led at the plate by its sluggers, Caden Clarahan and Isaac Bruns. Clarahan went two for four with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Bruns went two for four with two RBIs and one run scored.
Hillcrest advanced to play Pekin on Tuesday with a trip to the state tournament on the line at Fairfield Middle School. First pitch will be at 7 p.m.