MARSHALL - The Marshall Mudcats split a doubleheader Tuesday with Sioux Falls Legion Post 307. Marshall's win came in the first game by way of an 11-1 score in five innings. Sioux Falls stole the second game of the doubleheader, earning a 9-4 victory.
In the first game, Marshall scored 11 runs off of 15 hits. Mason Schnaible, Aaron Mathiowetz and Michael Danahar each went 2-for-3 in the game. Schnaible, however, had the biggest impact at the plate. He finished with three runs and two RBIs that came from a two-run home run. Mathiowetz and Danahar both scored two runs, and Danahar added an RBI. Matt Campion tripled in the first game for the Mudcats, and Riley Roth had a double.
Leo Zerr got the start on the mound for the Mudcats and pitched all five innings, giving up just two hits. Zerr also had two strikeouts. His sole earned run came in the game's opening frame.
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Photo by Travis Andries
Marshall pitcher Riley Roth, left, and third baseman Jared Holland converge on a ground ball in the second of two Mudcat games against Sioux Falls at Legion Field on Tuesday.
The Mudcat moods were decidedly downcast during the second matchup between the two teams. Sioux Falls scored two runs to open the game. After two more Sioux Falls runs over the next two innings, the Mudcats found themselves down 4-0 as they prepared to bat in the third.
Despite consecutive singles from Schnaible, Campion and Riley Carpenter, the Mudcats mustered only one run in the third. After Schnaible scored on Carpenter's single, Aaron Mathiowetz bunted Campion and Carpenter over to third and second, respectively. Those proverbial ducks would stay on the pond, however, as back-to-back flyouts ended the Mudcat threat in the third.
Sioux Falls took advantage of the heat's effect on the Mudcat players in the fourth inning. Alex West drove in two runs for Sioux Falls with a double and closed the book on Riley Roth, who started for the Mudcats. Roth pitched 3 1/3 innings, giving up six runs on seven hits and two walks. Danahar relieved Roth, but gave up two runs himself in the inning.
If not for the Mudcat defense, Sioux Falls' inning would have been bigger. Twice, with the bases loaded, Marshall found a way to prevent a runner from scoring. First, Alex Mathiowetz combined with Mason Schnaible to get the force at the plate. Second, Riley Carpenter's blazing throw beat the runner home by several steps. Carpenter's defensive assist ended the inning, which saw Sioux Falls score five runs and push its lead to 9-1.
The Mudcats cracked into the Sioux Falls lead with three runs in the bottom of the fourth. Jon Kor drove in Alex Mathiowetz with a single for the inning's first run. Kor was then thrown out between second and third after Schnaible nearly had hit his second home run on the day. Instead, he was stuck at first, but only momentarily. Matt Campion drove Schnaible home with an RBI double. Campion was, in turn, brought home by Carpenter's RBI double.
The success of Schnaible, Campion, and Carpenter will hopefully provide a spark for the rest of the Mudcat bats, said head coach Chace Pollock.
"(Schnaible, Campion, and Carpenter) are hitting the baseball. We just need some of our other guys to pick it up for the rest of the summer and we'll be just fine," Pollock said.
Matt Campion finished the second game 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Schnaible went 2-for-3 with two runs, and Carpenter went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Aaron Mathiowetz pitched the final three innings for Marshall, allowing just one hit with two strikeouts.
"When Aaron throws strikes he's great. We didn't want to use him today, but we had to, unfortunately," Pollock said.
The Mudcats were likewise unable to get much going over the last three innings, scattering three base runners over the final three innings.
Marshall's bipolar performance on the field Tuesday night taught the Mudcats two important, if harsh, lessons.
"At the end of the year, you're playing in a tournament and you may have to play more than one game on a day. Right now, we proved we can't play two,"?Pollock said.
"We found out real quick that we just can't show up and win ball games. That's just a let down."
The Mudcats are now 5-10 overall after the split and are back on the diamond Thursday when they host Brandon Valley at 6:30 p.m. at Legion Field.
Game 1
SF100 00-1 2 0
M433 1X-11 15 0
SF-David Koch. M-Leo Zerr. WP-Zerr. LP-Koch. HR: M-Mason Schnaible. 3B: M-Matt Campion. 2B: M-Riley Roth.
Game 2
SF211 500 0-9 10 4
M001 300 0-4 10 4
SF-Max Deltan, Alex Brink (5). M-Riley Roth, Michael Danahar (4), Aaron Mathiowetz (5). WP-Deltan. LP-Roth. 2B: SF-David Koch, Matt Koch, Alex West; M-Matt Campion, Riley Carpenter.