Reynolds pitches a gem, Cyclones pickup first win of 2026 season over ADM

HARLAN — The Harlan Community boys baseball team opened the season with a 14-4 loss to Sioux City North in a rainy game last Monday night, but rebounded in their home opener last Wednesday with a 2-0 shut-out win over the ADM Tigers for their first victory of the 2026 season.
The Cyclones came out strong against Sioux City North, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning.
However, the Stars answered with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning before taking the lead for good with two runs in the third inning. 
Sioux City North never looked back, defeating the Cyclones 14-4 in the season opener.
Wednesday night was a different story for the Cy-clones as they earned a 2-0 victory over ADM. 
The Tigers had defeated HCHS 9-0 a season ago, but the Cyclones responded in a big way behind the dominant pitching of Jonas Reynolds.
Reynolds threw a gem for the Cyclones, going six innings while allowing just two hits and striking out eight batters to help secure the Cyclones first win of the sea-son.
It started as a pitcher’s duel between Reynolds and ADM’s Ben Plaisance through the first five innings until the Cyclone offense finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth.
Reynolds issued a leadoff walk in the first inning, but it would be his only walk of the night. 
He worked out of the jam with a groundout to Cade Nelson and finished the inning with two strikeouts to strand the runner. 
ADM consistently made weak contact against Reynolds, and whenever the Tigers did get a baserunner, Reynolds and the Cyclone defense found a way out of trouble.
The Cyclone offense made decent contact against Plaisance throughout the game but struggled to find holes in the defense until the bottom of the fifth inning, when HCHS finally threatened.
Harrison Kjergaard led off the inning with a single up the middle to spark the Cyclone offense. 
Joseph Gross followed with a softly hit groundout that advanced Kjergaard to second base with one out. 
Reynolds then helped his own cause with a base hit over the outstretched glove of the ADM shortstop. 
Kjergaard was held at third, giving the Cyclones runners on the corners with one out.
The next batter, Gavin Eck, lifted a fly ball to center field that scored Kjergaard and gave the Cyclones a 1-0 lead despite a great diving effort by ADM center fielder Cole Waddingham.
Reynolds followed with a quick top of the sixth inning, retiring ADM in order with help from his defense. 
Colton Schneider made a great play at shortstop for the first out, followed by a flyout to center fielder Foxx Argotsinger before Reynolds struck out the final batter of the inning for his eighth strikeout of the game.
The Cyclones threatened again in the bottom of the sixth inning after Jacob Spangenberg ripped a ball into center field and hustled his way to a leadoff double. Schneider followed with an infield single to put runners on first and third with no outs. 
Kjergaard then drew a walk to load the bases with one out.
Gross came through with a single down the third-base line to score Spangenberg and extend the Cyclone lead to 2-0 with the bases still loaded. 
The Cyclones left them stranded and headed to the top of the seventh innning with a 2-0 lead.
The Cyclones then turned to their closer, Colton Schneider, who recorded six saves for HCHS a season ago. Schneider made quick work of the Tigers and shut the door on any comeback attempt with three straight strikeouts to seal the 2-0 victory.
Head coach Heath Stein commented on Reynolds’ performance and the importance of getting quality starts from his pitching staff.
“After the Sioux City North game, we talked about how important starting pitching was, and Jonas was nails from the get-go,” Stein said. 
“He executed multiple pitches in different counts, was all over the strike zone, made big pitches when he needed to, and really dominated the game.”
Stein also commented on the importance of having a player like Schneider available late in games.
“He’s been kind of in that role the last couple of years, and just knowing him, he wants the ball and does what he does. It’s really nice to have him,” Stein said.
Reynolds said he felt his curveball was his best pitch of the night.
“I didn’t get a lot of movement, or not as much as I’d like, but it was cold, so I tunneled my fastball up and followed it with the curveball,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds was also happy with the hit that helped set up the Cyclones’ first run of the game.
“It was fun getting that hit,” Reynolds said. 
“I know I’m not the best hitter on the team, but when-ever I can get a runner into scoring position and help score on a sac fly, it’s a big confidence boost.”
The Cyclones followed that up with a double header sweep of Creston with wins of 18-3 and 20-11 with Foxx Argotsinger delivering the highlight of the night going 4-4 with 3 home runs the first Cyclones player to hit three home runs in a game since 2015 when Kyle Juhl did it for the Cyclones against Clarinda that season.
The Cyclones returned to action Thursday night against rival Denison-Schleswig for their first of two meetings on the season.