MFL MarMac softball team struggles to enter win column

By Audrey Posten, Times-Register

Last week was another struggle to make it into the win column for the MFL MarMac softball team, which dropped conference doubleheaders to Central and Turkey Valley as well as one game at Central City.

The Bulldogs opened the week June 21 at Central, losing game one of the doubleheader 9-5. After going down 4-0 in the first inning, the team cut the deficit to 4-3 by the top of the third, but the Warriors increased their advantage to 7-3 with a three-run bottom of the inning. Although MFL MarMac added single runs in the fifth and seventh innings, two scores from Central in the sixth put the game out of reach.

MFL MarMac had only two fewer hits than Central, with seven, but struck out 10 times. Abby Koslowski was 2-4, including a double, and drove in a run. Mackenzy Ruff was 1-3 with two RBIs, while Kaitlin Picha singled, walked and scored twice.

What really hurt the Bulldogs, though, were seven defensive errors. Of the nine runs the Warriors scored, just one was earned. Central also stole four bases.

In game two, Central capitalized on eight more defensive miscues to win 12-10. The Warriors tallied 10 hits, but only five of the runs surrendered by Bulldog pitchers Ruff and Emily Hendrickson-Troester were earned. Ruff pitched five innings, allowing eight hits and two walks, while striking out two batters. Hendrickson-Troester gave up two hits and hit two batters over one inning.

The MFL MarMac offense did its best to stay in the game, earning six hits—including three extra base hits—along with seven walks. Picha was 2-3 with two triples, and also walked twice, stole a base, drove in a run and scored once. Autumn Shaw was 2-3 and scored a run, while Ashley Shaw was 1-4 with a walk, two RBIs and a run scored. Jordyn Jones walked and knocked in a pair of runs.

The Bulldogs next hosted conference leader Turkey Valley on June 23, losing game one of the doubleheader 10-4. MFL MarMac was held hitless through the first four innings, before cranking out three runs in the bottom of the fifth and one more in the seventh.

Ashley Shaw led the effort with two hits and two RBIs. Ruff singled and drove in a run, and Savannah Schaller singled and scored.

The MFL MarMac defense was much improved, committing just one error, but the Trojans pounded out 19 hits—six of them for extra bases—and swiped four bags.

The Turkey Valley offense remained relentless in game two, tallying 22 hits and four walks off Bulldog pitching, en route to a 14-7 victory.

Along with their six hits and three walks, MFL MarMac batters were also able to take advantage of some Trojan miscues in order to generate offense. Picha was 1-3 with three RBIs, while Schaller was 1-4 with an RBI and run scored. Koslowski doubled and drove in a run.

The Bulldogs wrapped up the week June 25, losing 8-0 to visiting Central City. The Wildcats racked up 11 hits in the game and did much of their damage with three-run first and second innings.

MFL MarMac, meanwhile, was held to just four hits, including two by Autumn Shaw and one apiece from Koslowski and Schaller. The Bulldogs whiffed a season-high 17 times against Central City’s Sara Reid.

The losses dropped MFL MarMac’s record to 3-25 overall and 3-10 in the Upper Iowa Conference. The team will wrap up its regular season schedule this week, playing a doubleheader at South Winneshiek on June 30, then heading to Sumner-Fredericksburg on July 2 and a tournament at Alburnett on July 3. The postseason will start next Tuesday, July 6, with the Bulldogs hosting Bellevue for a 7 p.m. game.