Osage Green Devils one win away the state tournament

(ABC 6 News) — This summer much of the talk has been about Newman Catholic when it comes to baseball in North Iowa.

The Knights are a top-ranked team who have been flat-out dominant, but a dark horse team to win it all is the team right behind them in the Top of Iowa East standings – the Osage Green Devils.

Saturday night Osage went on the road against Forest City – and scored five runs in the top of the seventh en route to a 9-2 win in the Class 2A District championship.

Since head coach Mike Henson took over the program four years ago, the (20-4) Green Devils have not made it this far in the postseason. Awaiting them is Dike-New Hartford in the sub-state final.

"They’re ranked sixth right now in the state," Henson said. "Good squad. Only lost 3 games all year so it should be a great contest. I know our kids really like those challenges and it’ll definitely be a challenge but it’ll be in Mason City for the game, so I encourage everybody to come out and it should be an awesome game"

Henson also talked about pitcher Max Gast’s performance. Gast, on three days’ rest, gave up just two hits, both in the third, and stranded five baserunners. The sophomore pitched the full 110 in six-plus innings, striking out nine.

"Max did a great job," Henson said. "Nolan does a great job behind the plate calling the game. I mean those two are pretty in sync with things. He’s a tough kid. He’s a competitor. He bears down when he gets in tight situations and you see the best of him come out"

The sub-state final against Dike-New Hartford will take place Tuesday at 7 pm.