Ironmen clinch third-straight Big 12 title behind Glass shutout, improve to 30-2

Inkspot Staff • May 19, 2026

.Gavin Michaels hit .750 against the Bloomington Raiders as Community clinched a third-straight Big 12 title.

Community baseball clinched its third consecutive Big 12 Conference championship Monday, dismantling Bloomington 12-0 on the road as junior Kyle Glass delivered a seven-inning, three-hit complete-game shutout to move the Ironmen to 30-2 on the season.

The Ironmen—who reached 30 wins for the second straight year—now stand 17-1 in Big 12 play.

The only blemish on an otherwise dominant conference run came April 20 at Champaign Central (24-6, 16-1)—a game that looked like a victory until it wasn’t.

The Ironmen led 8-3 heading into the bottom of the seventh before the Maroons scored six times to complete a 9-8 comeback.

But everything since that April afternoon has gone the Ironmen’s way, as the Community is riding a 17-game winning streak.

Against the Raiders, Glass worked efficiently, throwing just 71 pitches, issuing one walk and striking out six.

The offense handed the junior a comfortable margin before the first inning was over.

Community erupted for six runs in the top of the first, seizing control against a Bloomington staff that cycled through three pitchers in the contest.

The Ironmen added one in the fourth, two in the sixth and three in the seventh to reach the 12-0 final.

The Iron seniors led the charge at the plate.

Gavin Michaels went 3-for-4 and Andrew Naour was 2-for-3; both tallied a run scored and an RBI.

Josh Jones was 2-for-2 with a triple among his hits while Max Heineman drove in a game-high two runs.

On the bases, the Ironmen were equally relentless—Michaels and Heineman each stole two bags, while juniors Owen Knox and Malakai Kinsey swiped one apiece, giving Normal Community six stolen bases against the Raiders.

While the Ironmen entered the week ranked 17th in the state, their schedule ahead will test whether that ranking holds.

Wednesday brings a road trip to No. 10 Lincoln-Way West, who are 20-7 on the year. Friday, the Ironmen return home to face No. 4 Huntley, the 26-5 Warriors who rank among the state’s elite.

Then the calendar flips to postseason: Community opens IHSA Regional play May 27 at Moline, a chance to extend a program run that saw the team finish third in the IHSA 4A State Tournament last season.

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Inkspot Staff

Stories published under “Inkspot Staff” are unattributed to a single reporter because they: have been produced through a collaborative staff effort; individual staff member contribution is not easily distinguishable; they are the product of an in-class activity or lesson; and/or the story was disseminated from announcements or press releases.