Late inning runs propel Bulldogs to 4-0 week
Bulldog third baseman Jaxon Millage sends a throw to first base in the win over the Trojans. (Photo by Audrey Posten)
Landon Johnson smoked a two-RBI single in MFL MarMac’s 9-2 win over Turkey Valley on June 8.
Pinch runner Koda Warrington scores one of MFL MarMac’s eight runs in the bottom of the sixth. The team was trailing at the start of the inning, but won 9-2.
Bryce Radloff drops down a bunt against the Trojans.
Jacob Schellhorn picked up the win in MFL MarMac's 9-2 win over Turkey Valley on June 8.
Elias Hatt celebrates scoring a run in MFL MarMac's eight-run sixth inning versus Turkey Valley.
By Audrey Posten, Times-Register
Wins over North Fayette Valley, Edgewood-Colesburg and Turkey Valley last week improved the MFL MarMac baseball team to 8-4 overall and 6-2 in the Upper Iowa Conference.
The week started June 5, in a doubleheader at NFV that included a come-from-behind extra innings win in game one. The Bulldogs were trailing 6-1 through six innings when a six-run seventh gave them a one-run advantage. NFV tied the game in the bottom of the frame, but MFL MarMac pushed a run across in the top of the eighth for an 8-7 victory.
The Bulldogs racked up 10 hits against TigerHawk pitching and reached base another six times on walks and errors. Carver Blietz-Bentien powered the team with a three-run homerun—the first of his career—while Jacob Schellhorn was 2-5 with an RBI and Ben Krambeer singled and doubled. Elias Hatt doubled and scored twice.
Krambeer threw four and two-thirds innings, allowing four hits, four walks, two hit batters and two earned runs. He struck out five TigerHawks. Parker Kuehl accounted for four hits and one run in two innings and Bryce Radloff surrendered two walks and a hit batter but no runs in an inning and one-third.
Another late-inning rally—this time seven runs in the sixth—propelled the Bulldogs to an 8-2 win in game two. The team racked up 12 hits this time, including a 3-4 performance by Krambeer, who also scored a run. Hatt was 2-3 with an RBI and run scored, and Jaxon Millage singled and tripled, drove in two runs and scored once. Schellhorn drove in a pair of runs on a hit and crossed the plate once himself.
Millage allowed three hits, five walks, a hit batter and two runs over four and one-third innings. He also tallied six strikeouts. Nick Krambeer earned the win with one and two-thirds scoreless innings.
The Bulldogs pushed their winning streak to three on June 7, in a 9-0 shutout at Ed-Co. Austin Evanson gave up just four hits and a walk over seven frames, while the MFL MarMac offense again posted a big inning, with a six-run seventh.
Radloff put up two of the team’s nine hits along with an RBI and run scored. Blietz-Bentien and Austin Schlee both singled twice and drove in a run.
In the June 8 game against Turkey Valley, who sat just above MFL MarMac in the UIC standings, another late-inning comeback led the Bulldogs to victory. MFL MarMac cut a 2-0 Trojan lead in half with a run in the top of the fifth, then cranked out eight runs in the sixth to claim a 9-2 advantage.
Schellhorn pitched seven strong innings, surrendering only four hits, two walks and two earned runs, while striking out six batters.
The sophomore also aided the team offensively, thanks to a double, two sacrifices and three RBIs. Blietz-Bentien singled twice, was twice hit by a pitch, stole a base and scored a run, and Landon Johnson had a two-RBI single. Hatt doubled, knocked in a run and scored once.
The Bulldogs have six games on the docket this week, starting with a home doubleheader against Clayton Ridge-Central on June 12. MFL MarMac will head to Postville June 13 and Jesup June 14, before hosting Kee on June 15. The week will conclude June 16 with a non-conference match-up against Maquoketa Valley.
