Cerro Gordo baseball holds off Sullivan snaps 15-game losing streak

By Mike Monahan

SULLIVAN – It had been awhile, in fact since a 14-2 win over Blue Ridge on May 1, 2025 that the Cerro Gordo/Bement baseball team won. The Broncos won its first game of the season last Thursday 9-8 over Sullivan in a Lincoln Prairie Conference game. The victory snapped a 15-game losing streak. The Broncos are 1-11.

CGB fell to Arcola 8-6 April 20.
Cerro Gordo/Bement at
Sullivan, Thursday

Cerro Gordo trailed 3-0 after two innings before the Broncos took the lead for good with a five-run third. In that inning there was one out when Drew Larimore walked, Cole Giberson singled and Jack Hentz singled, but Arcola got a runner out on the play. With two outs and no runs the hit parade began with a single by Lucas Tirpak, Kaden Waterhouse and Mickey Tirpak. A two-turn triple by Gus Mann made it 5-3 Broncos.

The Broncos were clinging to an 8-7 lead after six innings when Mickey Tirpak singled as did Mann and Lucas Walker. With one out Sullivan got the next batter to strikeout. Giberson came through with what turned out to be the game-winner, a double to left/center, scoring Mann.

A big pickoff in the home half of the seventh was the first out. With runners on first and second the Redskins hit a single to make it a one-run game. With a runner on second Bronco pitcher Drew Larmimore got the second out on a fly out and ended the game with a strikeout after

Sullivan moved to third on a stolen base. The strikeout was on three pitches.

Mickey Tirplak led the Broncos by going perfect in four at-bats with three RBIs.

Arcola at Cerro Gordo
vs. Cerro Gordo/Bement,
April 20

Cerro Gordo, who trailed 5-0 at one time, scored a run in their half of the second. The Purple Riders added a run in the fourth and the Broncos added a run in the fifth as Arcola led 6-2.

The Purple Riders scored two in the sixth, which turned out to be the difference in the game. With one out Pillips and Whisman walked and Jackson “Tank” Griffith singled, scoring Whisman after Phillips scored on an error.

The Broncos tallied four in the seventh, including a three-run homer by Mickey Tripak made the final margin two.

CGB 9, Sullivan 8, Thursday
CGB 005 030 1–9-17-0
Sullivan 301 021 1–8-14-0

Winning pitcher: Lucas Tirpak 5 innings, 10 hits, 6 runs, 6 earned, 7 strikeouts, 7 walks; relief: Drew Larimore 2 innings, 4 hits, 2 runs, 2 earned, 2 strikeouts, 5 walks

CGB: Larimore 1-for-4, stolen base; Gilbertson 4-for-5, double, RBI; Jack Hentz 1-for-5, run; Abe Nixon 1-for-2; Lucas Tirpak 2-for-3, run, RBI; Kaden Waterhouse 1-for-3, 2 runs, RBI; Mickey Tirpak 4-for-4, triple, 2 runs, 3 RBIs; Gus Mann 2-for-5, triple, run, 2 RBIs; Lucas Walker 1-for-4; Silas Olson 2 stolen bases; Colton Piraino stolen base

Arcola 8, CGB 6
Arcola 230 102 0–8-4-2
CGB 010 010 4–6-9-3

Waterhouse 4 ⅔ innings, 3 hits, 6 runs, 5 earned, 9 strikeouts, 5 walks; Larimore 2 ⅓ innings, 1 hit, 2 runs, 2 earned, 4 strikeouts, 4 walks

CGB: Larimore 1-for-4; Giberson 3-for-4, stolen base; Hentz 2-for-4, RBI; Lucas Tirpak run; Waterhouse 2-for-3, 2 runs; Mickey Tirpak 1-for-4, home run, 3 RBIs; Walker RBI