MFL MarMac softball earns first wins of season
Bulldog Autumn Shaw stretches to secure an out at first base in MFL MarMac’s doubleheader sweep of Postville May 31. (Photos by Audrey Posten)
Garnett Niedziejko went 2-2 with a walk, RBI and three runs scored in game one of a doubleheader against Postville.
Emily Troester fires homes a pitch in MFL MarMac's sweep of Postville last week.
Devon Meyer races to first base in game one against Postville on May 31.
Shortstop Ashley Shaw throws the ball for an out against the Pirates.
By Audrey Posten, Times-Register
Last week was a busy one for the MFL MarMac softball team, which picked up its first wins of the season May 31, in a doubleheader sweep of Postville.
The Bulldogs won both games by double digits, including a 17-5 outcome in the first. The team took advantage of erratic Pirate pitching, racking up not only seven hits but 11 walks and two hit by pitches. They also stole seven bases.
Garnett Niedziejko was 2-2 with a walk, RBI and three runs scored. Ashley Shaw doubled and walked, drove in a team-high four runs and scored twice herself. Devon Meyer singled, walked and was hit by a pitch, tallied three RBIs and scored two runs.
Emily Troester allowed only three hits and two earned runs, while striking out seven batters, over four innings.
Another 10-run inning propelled MFL MarMac to a 15-3 win in game two. Troester picked up the “W” behind three and one-third scoreless innings, which included three strikeouts.
Katelyn Gerndt led the team with a single and double, four RBIs and two runs scored, while sister Ayla was 2-3 and crossed the plate once. Morgan Jacobson, who was 1-2 at the plate, also had a four-RBI game and scored a run.
Unfortunately, the Bulldogs couldn’t carry that momentum into a 17-0 loss to Hudson June 1.
Pirate pitcher Laiken Simerson allowed only one hit—a double to Shaw—and struck out eight Bulldogs over five innings. Hudson, meanwhile, compiled 14 hits—three of them doubles—and three walks. The Pirates also reached base three times on errors and collected a whopping 17 stolen bases. Troester took the loss.
MFL MarMac wrapped up the week in a June 2-3 tournament at North Fayette Valley, going a combined 0-4.
A four-run third inning paved the way for a 7-1 Edgewood-Colesburg win in the first game. Troester surrendered 12 hits and a walk over six innings, but only four of the seven runs against her were earned.
Niedziejko doubled and scored the lone run for the Bulldogs, while Jacobson was 1-3 with an RBI.
Oelwein bested MFL MarMac 10-0 in game two, after stringing together runs against Bulldog starter Meyer in four of the six innings.
The Bulldogs had seven hits, including two from Shaw, but couldn’t get on the scoreboard.
They were shut out again, this time 12-0, in a loss to Crestwood. The Cadets did most of their damage with six runs in the third inning and four in the fourth, behind seven hits, four walks, two hit batters and 10 stolen bases. Meyer took the loss.
Shaw and A. Gerndt both had a pair of hits for the MFL MarMac offense, and Jacobson and Kaitlin Picha singled.
The final tournament game was a 10-5 loss to Waukon, which hung 15 hits, a walk and hit batter on Troester over five innings. The Indians reached three times on errors.
MFL MarMac benefitted from free passes—13 total—to score its runs. Five players— Niedziejko, A. Gerndt, Jacobson, Autumn Shaw and Kaylee Walch—drew two apiece. Ashley Shaw walked and earned the team’s lone hit, in addition to scoring a run.
The Bulldogs, who are now 2-8 overall but 2-0 in the Upper Iowa Conference, had a doubleheader at Turkey Valley June 5. They will host West Central for two games June 7.
