Bulldogs pick up five more wins
Jacob Schellhorn picked up the win in the first game of MFL MarMac’s doubleheader against Clayton Ridge-Central on June 9. The Bulldogs also won game two. (Photo by Bruce Thein)
By Audrey Posten
The MFL MarMac baseball team went 5-1 last week, securing wins over Clayton Ridge-Central, South Winneshiek, Edgewood-Colesburg and Turkey Valley before Maquoketa Valley halted the momentum.
A doubleheader sweep of Clayton Ridge-Central on June 9 snapped a three-game losing skid for the Bulldogs. MFL MarMac out-scored the WarEagles 28-10 across both contests, including a 14-3 score that ended game one in five innings.
Jacob Schellhorn allowed three hits, a walk and two hit batters, while tabulating three strikeouts, over four and two-thirds innings. Two of the three runs scored against him were earned.
The senior was an offensive leader as well, going 3-4 with a walk, three RBIs and a run scored. Ben Krambeer doubled twice, driving in two runs and scoring twice himself, while Jaxon Millage collected two hits, an RBI and a run. After singling twice, Jaron Wille was the fourth player with two or more hits, and he also knocked in a run.
MFL MarMac had 11 hits overall, along with five walks and two hit batters. Four players reached on WarEagle errors.
The Bulldogs won the second match-up 14-7, doing most of their damage in the first three innings. They compiled another 11 hits and six walks, while four players reached base after being hit by pitches. Once on base, players swiped eight bags, including five by Parker Kuehl.
Kuehl was on base four times thanks to a single, two walks and a hit by pitch. He scored four runs. Krambeer was 3-4, including a home run, and drove in a team-high five runs while scoring three times. Millage finished the game with two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored. Kade Humble plated three runs on one hit.
Millage notched the win, surrendering three hits, five walks, three hit batters and three runs—two of them earned—in three and one-third innings. He totaled six strikeouts. Tyce Wikner and Carter Lightfoot gave up a combined six hits, three walks and four earned runs in the remaining three and two-thirds innings.
MFL MarMac’s June 10 game at South Winn was much closer, as the Bulldogs broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the eighth to win 5-2. It was a pitching duel between Warrior Braiden Todd and Bulldog Kuehl, who both reached double-digit strikeouts. Todd was on the bump all eight innings and gave up nine hits and five earned runs, compared to Kuehl’s four hits, two walks and two earned runs in seven innings. Krambeer pitched the final inning for MFL MarMac, limiting the Warriors to a hit and two walks.
Kuehl and Krambeer each singled and doubled, drove in a run and scored once. Brayden Gordon had a two-RBI double and scored a run. Millage singled twice and picked up an RBI.
June 11 was another five-inning offensive explosion for the Bulldogs, who hammered Ed-Co 11-0 after racking up nine hits and three walks and reaching base three more times on errors. They also stole six bases.
Schellhorn had a three-hit night with two stolen bases, an RBI and run scored. Wille doubled, walked and knocked in a pair of runs, then crossed home plate twice himself. Koda Warrington and Kyler Nuehring each had two RBIs on one hit. Wikner finished the game with a triple, stolen base, RBI and run scored.
The victory went to Humble, who allowed three hits and struck out one batter over two innings. Brent Roe accounted for a walk and hit batter, but no hits, in three innings. He tallied six strikeouts.
On June 12, MFL MarMac defeated Turkey Valley by an identical 11-0 score. The team compiled 11 hits and two walks, pushing four runs across in the opening inning and a seven-spot in the third.
Kuehl launched a grand slam for his first career home run, highlighting the offensive effort. Humbled added three RBIs on two hits and scored a run. Gordon and Wille both singled, drove in a run and scored twice.
Nuehring secured the victory in a three-inning stint. He gave up just one hit, two walks and a hit by pitch, while striking out four hitters. Lightfoot surrendered three walks, but no hits, over two innings and also picked up two strikeouts.
June 13 proved to be unlucky for the Bulldogs, whose five-game winning streak was snapped by Maquoketa Valley. The Wildcats were leading just 3-1 heading into the top of the seventh inning when they put the game out of reach with four more runs.
MFL MarMac was limited to just four hits, one each by Kuehl, Schellhorn, Krambeer and Wille. Schellhorn drove in the lone run.
On the mound, Schellhorn allowed six hits, a hit batter and four earned runs in four innings. He earned four strikeouts. Krambeer gave up one hit and one earned run in one inning, then Millage went two innings with one hit, one walk and one hit batter. Two of the three runs scored against him were earned.
Now 10-4, the Bulldogs have another busy week, starting with a pivotal Upper Iowa Conference doubleheader at Kee on June 16. They’ll welcome Postville on June 17, before heading to Jesup on June 18 and North Fayette Valley on June 19.
