HCHS goes deep in 17-5 baseball rout of Kuemper

 HARLAN -- Just five innings into the 2016 baseball season, Harlan Community has already accomplished two things it did not do all of last year - hit a home run and score 17 times in one game.
 Ranked second in the Iowa Baseball Coaches Association preseason top 10, the defending Class 3-A state runner-up Cyclones opened the season with a bang on Tuesday, plating 16 runs during their final three innings at-bat to blow out Kuemper Catholic, 17-5, at Jim Goeser Field.
 Kyle Juhl’s three-run home run with two out in the fifth - the team’s first long ball since June 25, 2014 - ended the game via the 10-run mercy rule.
 Juhl also slugged a two-run double during the Cyclones’ seven-run third inning and finished with five RBI. Leadoff batter Dillon Sears had two hits as well, including a triple, while adding two walks, two stolen bases, four RBI and three runs scored.
 As a team, HCHS went for extra bases on four of its nine total hits, drew 11 free passes (8 walks, 3 HBP) and stole six bags in support of winning pitcher Brett Croghan.