MFL MarMac wrapped up the softball regular season last week, falling to New Hampton and Kee in a pair of Upper Iowa Conference doubleheaders.
New Hampton held just a 2-1 lead through the first three innings of the opening game in Monona on June 29, but scored two or more runs in each of the next four innings to defeat MFL MarMac 14-5.
The Chickasaws racked up 23 hits and reached base six more times on walks, twice after being hit by pitches and three times due to Bulldog errors. Players stole seven bases.
The MFL MarMac offense collected six hits of its own, with two singles by Grace Palas and one apiece from Kensey Ball, Jerica Wille, Brooklyn Landt and Vanessa Luse. The team also showed patience at the plate with five walks, including two from Ball and two by Kendyll Egan. Luse was twice hit by a pitch and Landt once, then Kacie Picha and Kytlee Warrington both reached twice on errors by the Chickasaws.
Wille and Landt recorded RBIs for the Bulldogs, while Ball and Landt each scored twice and Wille once.
The Bulldogs were also busy on the bases. Ball was responsible for two of the team’s six steals, and Wille, Palas, Picha and Egan each swiped one bag.
MFL MarMac was shut out 11-0 in game two. Landt picked up the team’s lone hit—a single—off Chickasaw pitcher Brynlie Ackerman, who allowed no walks or hit batters while amassing 17 strikeouts.
New Hampton compiled 12 hits, four walks and two hit batters, then reached base twice due to errors. Only seven of the 11 runs they scored against Bulldog pitching were earned.
MFL MarMac traveled to Kee on July 1, for a twin bill versus the 14th ranked team in Class 1A. The Hawks unleashed 12 runs in the opening inning of the first game, en route to an 18-1 victory. The offensive output included 12 hits—nine singles, two doubles and triple—in addition to nine walks and two hit by pitches. Four players reached via error.
Picha singled—the only hit for the Bulldogs—and Ball made it to first twice on walks. Landt and Warrington also drew walks.
Landt stole two bases and scored, and Ball swiped a base as well.
Kee won the night cap 13-0, propelled by five runs in the second inning and seven in the third. They accumulated another 11 hits off MFL MarMac pitching, along with five walks and three hit batters.
Leading the Bulldogs was Egan, who went 2-for-2 with a stolen base. Wille also singled.
MFL MarMac finished the regular season 10-27 overall and 9-15 in the Upper Iowa Conference. Crestwood and New Hampton sat atop the UIC’s big division standings with identical records of 20-2, followed by South Winneshiek at 16-6 and North Fayette Valley 14-8. Waukon was behind the Bulldogs with a record of 3-18.
The Bulldogs traveled to Marquette Catholic (17-13) on July 6 for a Class 2A - Region 7 first round match-up. The winner will take on Durant on July 8.
