3-3 week for MFL MarMac baseball

By Audrey Posten, Times-Register

The MFL MarMac baseball team went 3-3 last week, in the busiest stretch of the season so far.

The Bulldogs opened the week June 12, splitting a home doubleheader against Clayton Ridge-Central. They couldn’t figure out War Eagle starter Caden Helle in game one, recording just one hit—a single by Austin Schlee—and striking out 12 times. 

The loss went to Bulldog starter Jaxon Millage, who surrendered only three hits, but five walks, over five innings. Walks in the top of the second helped the War Eagles score their lone run. Millage also struck out seven batters.

MFL MarMac rebounded with a 7-6 victory in game two, bolstered by a five-run fifth inning that gave the team a 6-5 lead. Although CR-C tied the game in the sixth, the Bulldogs walked it off in the bottom of the seventh.

Austin Evanson was responsible for 12 hits, two walks and five runs—two of which were earned—over four and one-third innings. Nick Krambeer earned the win after allowing just one hit, two walks and a run, while striking out four hitters, in two and two-thirds innings.

Jacob Schellhorn cranked out a pair of singles, a team-high three RBIs and a run scored, while Ben Krambeer was 2-4 with one RBI. Bryce Radloff singled twice, stole a base and scored a run, and Parker Kuehl drove in two runs and crossed home plate twice himself after reaching base twice on walks and once with a single.

The Bulldogs added another Upper Iowa Conference win the following night, with a 13-2 rout of Postville. Millage tallied three of the team’s 10 hits, and accounted for an RBI and run scored. B. Krambeer was 1-4 with a stolen base, three RBIs and a run scored, and Radloff plated two runs on a single and stole a base. Kuehl singled twice and walked twice, stole a base and knocked in a run. He also scored three times.

Radloff recorded the win after limiting the Pirates to three hits, three walks and two runs over four innings. He struck out four batters.

Unfortunately, MFL MarMac couldn’t carry that momentum into a 7-0 loss at Jesup on June 14. The J-Hawks touched B. Krambeer up for 11 hits, two walks and seven earned runs in five innings—with all seven runs coming in the first two frames. 

Elias Hatt picked up two of the Bulldogs’ three hits, and Schlee earned the other. For the second time in three days, MFL MarMac hitters fell victim to double-digit strikeouts, with 14. 

The offense continued to struggle June 15, in a 6-1 loss to Kee. Bulldog hitters were punched out nine times by Hawks starter Dalton Mudderman, and totaled only four hits. Landon Johnson accounted for two hits and the team’s RBI, and Millage doubled and scored. Kuehl was 1-3 and reached once on an error.

Schellhorn allowed nine hits, a walk, a hit batter and five runs—two of which were earned—in five and one-third innings. He picked up six strikeouts. N. Krambeer pitched one and two-thirds innings in relief, giving up two walks, a hit batter and one run.

MFL MarMac closed out the week on a high note, securing a 5-4 walk-off win over visiting Maquoketa Valley on June 16. The Bulldogs were up 4-2 heading into the top of the sixth, when the Wildcats trimmed the lead to 4-3 that inning and tied the game in the top of the seventh. But MFL MarMac—accustomed to scoring late in games this season—responded with a run of its own to claim the victory.

Dustin Larson had two of the team’s five hits, with a single and double, and scored a run. B. Krambeer singled, walked and drove in two runs, and Millage singled, scored and knocked in a run. Johnson also had an RBI single.

Evanson notched the win with a stat line that included nine hits, a walk, a hit batter and two earned runs. He picked up two strikeouts.

MFL MarMac now sits at 11-7 overall and 8-4 in the Upper Iowa Conference, good for second place behind South Winn.

This week includes another six-game gauntlet, starting with a doubleheader at Turkey Valley June 19 and home non-conference match-ups with Oelwein and Wapsie Valley June 20 and 21. The Bulldogs will host North Fayette Valley for senior night on June 22, then finish out the week at Lisbon June 23.