The Marshalltown baseball team held only a shortlived lead in its quest to capture a game at Ames, falling 14-2 and 13-3 in Monday’s Iowa Alliance Conference doubleheader on the road.
The host Little Cyclones won for the 15th time in the last 16 games in the series, taking both games by mercy rule. Ames (6-9, 4-0) totaled 17 hits in the first game, 10 in the second, and held Marshalltown (1-12, 0-4) to only five hits in the twinbill.
Bobcat freshman JJ Schoenfelder had three of Marshalltown’s five hits in the doubleheader, driving in three of the team’s five runs on the day. In the first game, his two-run single in the fourth inning drove in Sam Greazel and Caleb Kusserow, but Ames had already built up an 8-2 lead by that time.
The Little Cyclones countered with six runs of their own, eventually claiming the opener by run rule.
Ames starting pitcher Jackson Kepley struck out 11 over four innings for the win, allowing two runs — one earned — on one hit and two walks.
MHS starter Tayven Dutton took the loss, allowing seven runs — four earned — on eight hits and two walks over two innings. Luke Stalzer pitched the final two frames, allowing seven runs — six earned — on nine hits and two walks, striking out one.
Carter Geffre was 3-for-3 with a double and a home run to lead the Ames bats
In the nightcap, Marshalltown had runners on base in every inning but didn’t capitalize on enough of its chances. The Bobcats did lead briefly, however, after scoring twice in the top of the second. Kusserow singled, stole second and scored on Schoenfelder’s first of two hits in the game. Schoenfelder moved up on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-1 MHS.
The Little Cyclones scored three times in the home half of the second and kept piling on, putting the game away with eight runs in the bottom of the fifth.
“Offensively we had more runners than we normally have had, which was the biggest positive from tonight,” said MHS head coach Colton Hanke. “Schoenfelder had two big hits for us tonight that brought in runners in both games. However, we still left runners on the bases and who knows what the outcomes would have been if we were able to move those runners around.”
Or if it would have been enough to outscore Ames. The Little Cyclones cashed in on nine walks and seven hit batsmen issued by MHS pitching in the doubleheader.
“We were unable to get ahead in counts when we needed to the most from the pitching side,” said Hanke. “We can’t afford to give up that many free bases.”
Kusserow and Schoenfelder both had two hits, including an RBI triple for Kusserow, to lead Marshalltown in the second game. Zander Stupp took the loss on the mound, allowing nine runs — six earned — on six hits, three walks and three hit batsmen in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out two.
Ames starter Sullivan Enfield allowed three runs on four hits and one walk while striking out eight in four innings for the win.
The Bobcats go back out on the road Wednesday with a 3:30 p.m. doubleheader at Des Moines East. Marshalltown travels to face Fort Dodge on Thursday night.