Timely hits arrive as Bobcats split
MHS wins finale 2-1 over No. 11 Fort DodgeBy MARK PAWLAK
Article Photos
Fact Box
Game One
Fort Dodge 2, Marshalltown 1, 11 innings
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Katie Donnelly and Katie Faro; Kallie Schive and Ann Reinert. WP - Donnelly. LP - Schive (5-6). 2B - FD: Aleah Lentsch 2, Kenzie Alstott, Tieryn Potratz. LOB - FD 9; MHS 12.
Game Two
Marshalltown 2, Fort Dodge 1
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Megan Risetter and Faro; Taylor Vaske and Jill Schoborg. WP - Vaske (4-7). LP - Risetter. LOB - FD 1; MHS 6.
Hitting with runners on has been a struggle this summer for Marshalltown.
It sure was for 11 innings in the first game of a CIML Iowa Conference doubleheader Thursday with Fort Dodge and then for the first five innings of the finale at the MHS diamond.
The timely hits came just in time and in rapid succession for the Bobcats to earn a split with No. 11 Fort Dodge.
The Dodgers took the opener 2-1 in 11 innings as Marshalltown left 12 runners on base. Game two was also 2-1, but in favor of the Bobcats as they scored twice in the bottom of the sixth.
Marshalltown (10-13, 4-8) had a runner on first and two down in the sixth before consecutive hits by Lauren Lockhart, Taylor Wagner and Mady Van Metre gave them the lead.
"We finally got three or four hard hit balls in a row," said Marshalltown head coach Mike Vint.
"It's been a while since we've done that."
Taylor Vaske retired Fort Dodge (19-9, 7-5) in order in the seventh to close it out. Vaske shut out the Dodgers on three hits. She struck out five and did not walk a batter. Fifteen of the outs recorded by the Bobcats were in the infield and the other ball in play was an out at second as right fielder Kallie Schive threw out a runner trying to stretch a hit into a double.
"After letting the first one get away this was a huge win," Vint said. "We stranded 12 runners, of course in 10 innings, in the first game and it was a heartbreaker. I thought Taylor really threw well and we played good defense behind her. We didn't have an error. We had a couple costly ones in that first game. When we make errors and we pay for them."
Schive and Fort Dodge's Katie Donnelly put up dueling zeroes on the scoreboard from the circle in the first game.
The Dodgers broke through in the 11th as Aleah Lentsch led off with a single, her third hit of the game as earlier she had a pair of doubles. Lentsch moved to second on an error, took third on a ball hit to right field and scored on Haley Rustvold's single.
Fort Dodge took the lead in the top of the first as an error helped the Dodgers tally a run.
Schive held them scoreless the next nine innings, but took the loss, allowing two runs on 11 hits.
"It's been good," Vint said of his team's pitching. "It's just a shame we haven't got four or five more victories for those kids because they've both lost two or three games where they've pitched outstanding and we just couldn't score."
Marshalltown tied the game up in the sixth as Whitney Sowers reached on an error and came around to score on a base hit by Wagner. The Bobcats unfortunately failed to take the lead as they left runners on second and third.
The Bobcats also had other chances as they stranded 12 runners in the contest. MHS left the bases loaded in the third and two on also in the seventh and ninth frames.
Sam Mitchell and Van Metre both had a pair of hits for Marshalltown.
Van Metre was filling in at shortstop as regular starter Jordan Loney was out of town for a volleyball tournament. Van Metre had two hits in both ends of the doubleheader, drove in the winning run in game two and was strong defensively.
"Mady came in and played real well defensively," Vint said. "She made some nice plays, a couple tags on steals and a nice tag when they were going for a double. She had a very nice night."
Eighth-grader Wagner drove in two of the Bobcats' three runs on the night.
"Taylor Wagner was key for us," Vint said. "We knew she's capable and she's going to see a lot more varsity action. We got to get her in the lineup."
Marshalltown hosts the Bobcat Softball Classic today and Saturday at the Marshalltown Girls Softball Association Diamonds. Twenty-seven games will be played over the two days with the Bobcats on today facing Eddyville-Blakesburg at 2:45 p.m. and South Tama at 6:15 p.m., and then on Saturday MHS plays Class 2A No. 4 Bondurant-Farrar at 12:30 p.m. and Marion at 4 p.m.
