DONNELLSON — Class 2A’s 10th-ranked Mediapolis High School baseball team is already in mid-season form, while Super Conference South Division rival Central Lee is still shaking off early-season rust.

It was evident Thursday night when the two teams’ ace pitchers went against one another in a 6-0 Mediapolis win at Central Lee High School.

Lance Ludens tossed a complete game, three-hit shutout with a single walk and five strikeouts. He threw a total of 80 pitches, most impressive for a complete game. Almost 75 percent of those pitches were strikes. He faced 24 batters.

Central Lee pitcher Brett Davis faced 21 batters, threw 46 strikes out of 79 pitches over 4 1/3 innings and gave up four hits with three walks and five strikeouts and no earned runs.

But the Hawks’ defense frustrated coach Shane Weirather.

Davis struck out the first batter of the third inning then issued a walk. Ludens hit a grounder that Caedon Newton misplayed. A ground out would have been the third out but Gannon Gunn scores.

A pop fly to left fielder Brett Cook turns into a double by Payton Doty, and another run followed by a run-scoring double by Max Griffin.

“I think both guys would say that’s a play they make,” Weirather said. “Giving them two extra outs in the third inning, well, that’s the 3-0 lead right there.You can’t give a good team five outs in one inning.”

Ludens set the Hawks down in order in the third, fifth and seventh innings.

“I just rely on my defense because I know we have a great defensive crew,” Ludens said. “I just try to throw strikes and keep walks to a minimum. No free bases and let my defense work. A few strikeouts here and there are nice.”

Mediapolis coach Rick Whitaker was impressed with Ludens’ low pitch count for a complete game, but did not like the amount of strikes he threw.

“He only threw (80) pitches, that’s pretty crazy,” Whitaker said. “He throws so many strikes. We have to work with him to tell him that when you get the count to 0-2, you don’t have to throw a strike every pitch.”

Ludens has committed to Central College in Pella and Dutch head coach Adam Carey was at Thursday’s game.

“Coaches tell me when I’m ahead in the count, I should not throw pitches that are hitable,” Ludens said. “I can’t command everything perfectly though. I just try to stay consistent.”

He stayed consistent at the plate as well.

Batting third in the lineup, he reached base every at bat with a single, a double, a walk and an error.

“My approach at the plate is up the middle at the away side,” Ludens said. “I try not to pull the ball because I get in the habit of pulling my head. My focus at the plate is trying not to kill anything.”