TRAER — Michael Schrier finished 3-for-3 with a double, two runs scored and five RBIs to lead the North Tama baseball team to a 16-1, four-inning victory over BCLUW in last Thursday’s Iowa Star Conference contest.

Tyler Popelka was the beneficiary of all the offense as he pitched all four innings for the host Redhawks (9-10, 8-7). Popelka allowed just two hits while walking three and striking out five for the victory.

Logan Scafferi and Ryan Busch got the only hits for BCLUW, both of them coming in the Comets’ half of the third inning. Busch led off with a single and, two outs later, advanced on a walk to Cael Keller and a misplayed grounder off the bat of Hayden Schleisman. Scafferi’s single drove in the Comets’ lone run.

Popelka helped his own cause by going 2-for-3 with an RBI at the plate. Ryan Hosek hit a run-scoring double while Kolt Knaack, Josh Dostal, Tyrus Luker, Gavin Rausch and Henry Hansen each added a single for the Redhawks.

Owen Myers took the loss for the Comets, allowing eight runs — only two earned — on seven hits in 1 2/3 innings pitched. Schleisman gave up eight more runs — three earned — on four hits and five walks over two innings. BCLUW committed four errors in the loss.

Heading into the week of June 26, the Redhawks (9-11) were set to face Wapsie Valley on Monday, followed by Hudson on Thursday before traveling to Maquoketa Valley (8-10) on Saturday, July 1 to take on the Wildcats in the first round of the Class 1A postseason. Prior to Monday night’s loss to Wapsie, North Tama was No. 2 (now in a three-way tie) in the Iowa Star-South Conference standings behind Collins-Maxwell.