By Brent Roe
The MFL MarMac baseball team went 3-3 last week, generating a lot of offense early on, before facing some ranked competition.
On June 22, the Bulldogs hosted the Crestwood Cadets for an Upper Iowa Conference - Big Division doubleheader, taking game one by a score of 11-0. The Bulldogs tallied eight hits, with a home run by Tyce Wikner. Other players who recorded hits were Mason Hollar, Kyler Nuehring, Carsten Pester and Brady Welsh. Hollar also recorded a stolen base. Wikner pitched all five innings and gave up two hits with three strikeouts, five walks and zero earned runs.
MFL MarMac won game two 12-5. The Bulldogs earned eight hits in this game as well. Welsh recorded three hits and Hollar two. Wikner, Nuehring and Jason Larson had hits also. The starting pitcher for the Bulldogs was Easton Lange, who gave up two runs on four hits and two walks in three and one-third innings of work.
On June 23, the Bulldogs traveled to Alburnett to take on the #7 team in Class 2A, the Alburnett Pirates. In the bottom of the second inning, the Pirates put up a five-spot, and that was enough to put the Bulldogs away. Offensively, MFL MarMac picked up two hits and six walks. The hits were recorded by Wikner and Daxton Diemel. The starting pitcher for the Bulldogs was Hollar, who allowed seven runs on four hits in one and one-third innings of work.
On June 24, MFL MarMac hosted the Clayton Ridge/Central WarEagles in Monona. The Bulldogs squeezed out a victory with the final score being 3-2. Offensively, the Bulldogs recorded four hits. They came from Hollar, Wikner, Nuehring and Larson. Collin Wilder reached base three times with two walks and a hit by pitch. The starting pitcher for the Bulldogs was Nuehring, who gave up two runs on four hits and five walks with 10 strikeouts. Wilder came in to pitch in the sixth inning and shut the door for MFL MarMac.
On June 25, the Bulldogs hosted the North Fayette Valley Tigerhawks. It was also senior night for the Bulldogs. The Tigerhawks won the game by a close score of 3-1. After the Tigerhawks got a crucial run in the top of the seventh inning, MFL MarMac couldn’t put a rally together. Welsh pitched all seven innings and gave up three runs on 12 hits and two walks. Offensively, the Bulldogs had six hits. Wikner went 3-for-4 on the night with two singles and a double. Nuehring and Larson also tallied hits.
On June 26, the Bulldogs lost to the 10th ranked team in 1A, the East Buchanan Buccaneers, by a score of 10-0 in five innings. The pitchers for the Bulldogs were Lange and Maddox Hanson.
Now 5-17 overall and 4-11 in Upper Iowa Conference play, MFL MarMac wrapped up the regular season this week with games at Waukon on June 29 and Crestwood on June 30.
The Bulldogs will face off against Anamosa (11-11) in the opening round of the Class 2A Substate 3 bracket on Friday, July 3. The game will begin at 7 p.m. at Anamosa Middle School.
