INDIANOLA, Iowa – Though the playoffs are no longer in the picture, Des Moines has shown it can still compete with the best in the MINK League.

The Peak Prospects hosted the team with the second-best record and held them in check, out-hitting the Clarinda A’s 9-4 and winning 7-2 on Tuesday night.

Des Moines welcomed back a familiar face from its 2022 squad – Simpson College junior Trey Castile, who was a star pitcher with last year’s Des Moines team. He started and struck out five batters in four innings while giving up just two runs on four hits and a walk.

Des Moines improves to 17-24, while Clarinda drops to 23-15 in league play.

The Prospects’ relievers also put in stellar work, combining for zero runs and no hits. Weston Barber (FR, SWCC) gave up one walk and one hit-by-pitch while striking out two batters in three innings. Although Parker Stewart (FR, Northeast CC) did give up five free bases in his two innings, he remained locked in and struck out two batters.

But it wasn’t just pitching and defense that carried Des Moines – it was also the offense, which scored the first five runs of the game in the 2nd inning.

Catcher Liam Gilbert (FR, East Central CC) batted 2-3 with two runs, one RBI, one walk, and one hit-by-pitch, while first baseman Declan O’Hare (JR, Central College) went 2-3 with a walk and a run. Center fielder Carter Thomas (FR, Wayne State [NE]) hit 1-3 with two walks and two runs.

With the bases loaded with two outs in the bottom of the 2nd, left fielder Jaylen Ziegler (FR, DMACC) singled for an RBI, and then Thomas walked to add another run. DH Tanner Short (FR, Ellsworth CC) singled for 2 RBIs, and Thomas scored on a throwing error on the same play.

Des Moines led 6-0 after three innings when second baseman Colin Evers (SO, NIACC) sent home a run on a sac fly.

Clarinda’s Terrick Thompson cut the deficit to 6-2 with an RBI double and a steal of home plate.

The Peak Prospects padded their lead with a Gilbert RBI single in the bottom of the 4th, and then both teams failed to score the remainder of the way.

With three games left in the season, the Peak Prospects will host their final home contests at McBride Field in a doubleheader Wednesday evening at 5 and 7 p.m. CT. They’ll then conclude their season in Clarinda on Friday at 7.