The Grundy Center baseball team recently concluded a historically strong season. Their 23-4 record was the best in the Bound era, which dates to the 2008 season.
While the team finished one win shy of its goal of a state tournament appearance, Head Coach Pat Brown Jr. shares his big-picture perspective on the program.
“There were years that this program wasn’t even in contention for anything,” Brown says. “The kids have bought into the program, they bought into the system, they’re doing it the right way, we’re doing it the right way. The challenge with baseball is managing your players and manage your players’ time, respecting their time and having them buy into the fact that when it’s time to go, it’s time to go. I’m going to give you a little bit, but you’re going to take a little bit, whatever. But baseball’s tough. We’re competing against basketball, football, everything. Our kids do it and they come out and they do it at a high level.”
For their strong performances, four players earned all-district honors from the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association. Pitcher Judd Jirovsky and third baseman Ryker Thoren were 2A Central District first team selections. Catcher Pete Lebo and second baseman Brody Zinkula were second team selections.
They finished 12-0 in the NICL-West to earn the outright league title.
