Knights senior pitcher Ethan Winnike pictured Wednesday, July 8, on the mound against No. 9 Anamosa during a Class 2A District 6 semifinal in Cascade. PHOTO BY REBECCA LYN DAVIS

CASCADE – The final score may have ended the Union Knights’ season, but it could not diminish what this senior class accomplished over the past five years.

In a fitting finale for one of the most successful eras in recent program history, Union (12-13) baseball battled ninth-ranked Anamosa (12-13) for nine innings before falling 4-3 in an extra-inning Class 2A district semifinal thriller on Wednesday, July 8, at Cascade High School. The Blue Raiders pushed across the winning run in the bottom of the ninth to end a game that showcased the determination and resilience that defined the Knights all season.

The loss closed the book on a campaign that produced the most wins by a Union baseball team since at least the 2014-15 season, a testament to a senior class that helped elevate the program through years of commitment and leadership. The seven-member senior class leaves behind an incredible legacy, combining for 552 career varsity games. Three players reached the rare milestone of appearing in more than 100 varsity contests: Ethan Winnike (111 career games), Sawyer Spence (110), and Mays Weber (102). They were joined by Maddux DeWinter (96), Henry Hegdahl (81), Tate Van Dyke (50), and Ethan Hora (2), a group whose experience became the foundation of Union’s success.

Against Anamosa, Union struck first and drove in a run in the bottom of the first inning. Anamosa answered in the third to even the score before the Knights regained the lead in the fourth. Winnike continued his strong postseason with an RBI double, putting Union back in front. The Blue Raiders again answered late, but the Knights refused to go quietly. Trailing entering the bottom of the seventh inning, Union manufactured the tying run to force extra innings, extending the season and giving its seniors two more innings together.

Offensively, the Knights collected seven hits. Spence capped his decorated career by reaching base three times and collecting a stolen base. Winnike added another outstanding performance, going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, while junior Gavin Frederiksen contributed a hit. Hegdahl delivered an RBI single, and Van Dyke drove in another run with a base hit. Mays Weber added a stolen base.

Union sophomore pitcher Bryson DeWinter pictured Wednesday, July 8, on the mound against No. 9 Anamosa during a Class 2A District 6 semifinal in Cascade. The Blue Raiders defeated the Knights, 4-3, to move on to the district final where they fell to Cascade 14-4. DeWinter pitched the first five innings against Anamosa, allowing just one hit and one run while striking out eight. PHOTO BY REBECCA LYN DAVIS

Although the offense produced timely hits, Union’s pitching and defense kept the Knights within striking distance against a quality Anamosa lineup. Sophomore Bryson DeWinter turned in another exceptional outing, giving the Knights every opportunity to win. Working the first five innings, he allowed just one hit and one run while striking out eight, demonstrating the poise that has made him one of the program’s rising stars. He threw 84 pitches in the game.

Behind the pitching staff, Union played flawless defense. The Knights committed zero errors over nine innings, handling all 32 defensive chances cleanly. Catcher Tallahn Miller anchored the defense with 14 putouts, while Hegdahl added five putouts and two assists at second base. DeWinter was perfect on five chances at first, Spence handled three opportunities at shortstop without an error, and Winnike was steady at third.

While the ninth inning ultimately belonged to Anamosa, the lasting story belongs to the Knights’ senior class. They didn’t simply accumulate wins–they helped build a standard. They left the program with its highest win total in more than a decade (12-14), mentored the next generation of players, and demonstrated the perseverance required to compete in postseason baseball. The scoreboard may have read Anamosa 4, Union 3, but the legacy of Union’s seniors extends far beyond one extra-inning loss. Their 552 combined varsity games, record-setting season, and unwavering leadership have left the Knights baseball program in a stronger position than they found it–a legacy that will endure long after the final out.

Knights senior pitcher Tate Van Dyke pictured Wednesday, July 8, on the mound against No. 9 Anamosa during a Class 2A District 6 semifinal in Cascade. PHOTO BY REBECCA LYN DAVIS

Union junior pitcher Gavin Frederiksen pictured Wednesday, July 8, on the mound against No. 9 Anamosa during a Class 2A District 6 semifinal in Cascade. Frederiksen pitched the final two innings of the nine-inning thriller, allowing one hit and one run, walking three, hitting one batter, and striking out two for the loss. PHOTO BY REBECCA LYN DAVIS