Bulldogs face tough competition
Shortstop Jacob Schellhorn throws to first base in MFL MarMac’s loss to Decorah. (Photos by Audrey Posten)
Elias Hatt races to first base after singling against Decorah.
Karter Decker's week was highlighted by a homerun against South Winn.
Ben Krambeer was one of six Bulldog pitchers to throw against Decorah on July 1.
Max Havlicek had an RBI triple and scored a run versus the Vikings.
Chauncy Drahn tripled and drove in a run against Decorah.
By Audrey Posten, Times-Register
The MFL MarMac baseball team struggled to get into the win column last week, losing games to three tough opponents.
The Bulldogs kicked off the week June 28, dropping both games of a doubleheader at South Winneshiek, who’d lost just five games heading into the match-up and was at the top of the Upper Iowa Conference standings.
The Warriors won the opener 12-2, after scoring in nearly every inning, including five runs in the fifth. They tallied 11 hits off Bulldog pitching—five of them for extra bases—and walked three times, in addition to swiping five bases. The MFL MarMac defense also didn’t help matters, committing four errors.
MFL MarMac had four hits in the game, highlighted by the first career homerun for sophomore Karter Decker. Chauncy Drahn and Kaden Stocker both singled, walked and stole a base.
South Winn, again bolstered by a five-run inning, shut out the Bulldogs 7-0 in game two. The Warriors picked up eight hits, and also drew six walks and stole six bases, keeping the Bulldog pitching and defense off balance.
The MFL MarMac offense was also kept off balance, striking out 15 times. Stocker, Cullen McShane, Max Havlicek and Elias Hatt each had a hit.
It didn’t get any easier July 1, as the Bulldogs hosted another conference leader, Decorah. The Vikings jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, then tacked on five runs in the third and two each in the fourth and sixth innings, winning 12-2.
The Bulldogs threw six different pitchers at Decorah, surrendering a combined 12 hits, four walks and two hit by pitches. Eleven of the 12 runs were earned.
MFL MarMac’s offense was again plagued by strikeouts, with nine. The team collected five hits and four walks, but could only push across two runs, both in the third inning. Havlicek had an RBI triple and scored a run, and Drahn also tripled and drove in a run. McShane singled, walked, stole two bases and scored once.
The Bulldogs wrapped the week July 2, falling to Maquoketa Valley 14-8 in a high-scoring affair. The teams were tied 2-2 through the first inning when the Wildcats cranked out four runs in the top of the second to lead 6-2. MFL MarMac cut the lead to 6-4 in the bottom of the inning, before Maq Valley pulled away with two runs in both the third and fourth innings and four in the fifth, going up 14-4. The Bulldogs scored once in the fifth inning and three times in the seventh, but couldn’t cut into the deficit further.
Four MFL MarMac pitchers gave up a combined 12 hits and eight walks to Maq Valley. The Wildcats also feasted on five Bulldog errors, with only 11 of their 14 runs being earned.
The Bulldog offense cranked out seven hits and walked four times. They were also busy on the base paths, with five steals. Three of those were from McShane, who went 2-3, walked and scored twice. Stocker was 2-4 with an RBI and run scored, while Drahn tripled, drove in two runs and scored twice. Ben Krambeer doubled and picked up two RBIs.
The losses dropped MFL MarMac’s overall record to 10-17 and Upper Iowa Conference standing to 8-8. The team will wrap up the regular season this week, hosting Clayton Ridge/Central for a doubleheader on July 5, then playing a doubleheader at Lisbon on July 7.
The Bulldogs will start postseason play in New Albin on July 10, taking on Wapsie Valley (15-16) in a Class 1A Substate 2 first round match-up. The game will start at 7 p.m. The two teams have already faced off twice this season, with Wapsie winning the first 11-2 and narrowly taking the second 7-6.
