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Act now—your donation to local news ensures a brighter, more informed tomorrow. DECORAH — It wasn't the outcome they wanted, but by any measure, the Decorah Vikings baseball team had an outstanding season. Sitting atop the Northeast Iowa Conference with a perfect 16-0 record in league play, the Vikings finished the year 23-8 overall. On Saturday, July 12, they hosted Maquoketa for their opening district game and fell 2-0. "This one hurts. I can't deny that," head coach Alec Zwanziger said. "We obviously didn't get the outcome we were all hoping for. Brayden Wemark did an outstanding job on the mound for us like he's done all year. He gave us a chance to win the ballgame. But unfortunately, we just couldn't get anything going offensively. When you get to this point of the season, no team can afford to have a bad day and expect to win." The Vikings had a couple of hits heading into the final inning down 2-0. While that would be the final score, the bottom of the seventh wasn't without a moment of drama. After Gavin Knutson popped out to the outfield for the first out, junior catcher Trevor Kuennen hit a ground ball to third. The ball rolled just slowly enough for Kuennen to reach first safely, despite a strong throw from the third baseman. The play gave the Vikings a brief spark. Cash Riehle stepped up next. The second pitch to Riehle went low and past the catcher, allowing Kuennen to advance to second. Riehle soon worked a 3-0 count and looked poised to take a base, but Maquoketa's head coach called for a timeout to regroup. The infield and pitcher huddled on the mound, and after a few moments, the game resumed. Maquoketa's pitcher fired a fastball for a strike. The next pitch, Riehle sent down the left field line, but it rolled foul. With a full count, Riehle connected again—this time sending a pop fly just behind the infield. The second baseman caught it for the second out, and Kuennen, caught between second and third, was unable to get back to the bag in time. The double play ended the game and sealed the win for Maquoketa. "As much as this loss hurts," Zwanziger said, "it doesn't define this group or the season these boys put together. Led by an outstanding group of seniors, this team earned the No. 2 seed in an extremely difficult Class 3A district and won the final Northeast Iowa Conference championship." "I couldn't be more proud of these boys and the effort they brought all season long. This senior class was special. They'll be a group that's talked about for many years. I can't thank them enough for the impact they've had on myself and this program." Stats for the game and season can be found here. Unlock a world of knowledge! Sign up for free DecorahNews.com newsletters and receive local news, local events and everything that is happening in and around Decorah.

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Vikings Baseball Falls in District Opener After Perfect Conference Season