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’Cats take Dragons the distance

Class 5A No. 3 Johnston needs seven innings in each game of CIML Iowa sweep

T-R PHOTO BY THORN COMPTON • Marshalltown catcher Erica Johnson (1) throws to first after completing the force-out at the plate in game two of the Bobcat’s doubleheader with Johnston on Wednesday. MHS lost both games to the Dragons, falling 8-0 in game one and 8-2 in game two.

Heading into Wednesday’s doubleheader against Johnston, the Marshalltown High School softball team knew it had a tough couple games ahead against the third-ranked team in Class 5A, and while they weren’t able to come away with a victory the Bobcats never backed down from the challenge.

Johnston would take both games on afternoon, winning the first 8-0 then following that up with an 8-2 win, but Marshalltown (8-25, 2-14) head coach Jim Palmer said his girls showed growth compared to the last time they faced the highly-ranked Dragons.

“There were positives, these girls have come a long way,” Palmer said after the losses. “We are seeing these teams a second time around and we are playing them a lot tougher now. We have learned a lot and that goes a long way toward us competing.”

Senior McKaylee Dawson started the first game for the Bobcats, but from the first pitch it was clear she wasn’t quite right on the mound, as Palmer said she has been dealing with some back spasms. Dawson would go two innings and give up six runs off five hits in that span, but after Palmer decided to relieve Dawson until the pitching was back under control for his squad.

Eighth-grader Kallie Pollard and sophomore Abby Brennecke finished the last five innings of the first game only relinquished two runs off six hits.

T-R PHOTO BY THORN COMPTON • Bobcats senior Bridget Carroll looks to scoop up a ball as Johnston sophomore Sophie Maras slides into second during MHS’s doubleheader against the Dragons on Wednesday afternoon. Johnston won both games in Marshalltown.

Palmer said his two relievers are a great change of pace when facing some of these better teams because they are both adept at off-speed pitches.

“I knew if I came in with our other two we would be OK, they have thrown a lot of innings this year and [Johnston] really didn’t score much after we put those two in,” Palmer said. “A team like Johnston, they are keyed up on hard fastball pitchers, so when we come in with a little slower pace to the ball we have more success.”

There was a bit of a scary moment in the fourth inning of game one, as Pollard took a screaming line drive square in her face. Fortunately, due to Palmer’s facemask policy for his players, Pollard only suffered a bloody nose and some slight bruising and she was able to take the mound in relief in game two.

“Before she took that hit off her facemask she had retired five-straight batters,” Palmer said. “That’s just part of the game, I am so happy that I have a facemask policy on my team.”

The Bobcats were only able to put the ball in play four times in game one, with sophomore Aspen Chadderdon, freshman Madison Finch, Dawson and senior Bridget Carroll each recording a hit.

T-R PHOTO BY THORN COMPTON • MHS junior Regan Mazour looks to throw toward third as Johnston sophomore Aubrey McCombs races around the bases during Marshalltown’s doubleheader against the Dragons on Wednesday.

Brennecke started on the mound in game two after closing out game one, and she was effective in four innings of work, allowing four earned runs off five hits. Pollard took the mound in relief in the fifth inning after Brennecke’s arm started to tire, and she closed the game only allowing four hits and no earned runs, though three runs were scored in that span off error.

Batting was a struggle in the early going of game two, with the MHS girls failing to record a hit in the first three innings, but that all changed in the fourth when the Bobcats had their best scoring chance of the doubleheader.

Finch led off the inning with a line drive to left field and, after Dawson and Ciara Feldman walked, Carroll stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and only one out. Carroll laid down a perfect bunt, scoring Finch and safely reaching first without giving the infield a chance to record any outs, and a long fly ball from Emily Hass led to Feldman crossing the plate as well.

That was the only scoring of the two games for Marshalltown, though the ‘Cats did threaten for more runs in the seventh inning in game two with Hass and Kyra Feldman each knocking in a base hit.

With only four games left in the regular season, Palmer said his team is focusing on playing their best ball as they round out regular season play and set their eyes on the postseason tournaments.

T-R PHOTO BY THORN COMPTON

“We just need to keep building, our philosophy is we are building for regionals,” he said. “Conference games are the ones that get us ready for regionals, but that is where our focus is at right now. We are going to keep working hard. When we have our downtime with no games scheduled we will get in and practice and keep working on the aspects of the game and when we have games we are going to get after it.”

Strike out ALS

Tonight’s doubleheader for the Bobcats against Dowling Catholic will have a bit more meaning to it, as MHS hosts Dean Splittberger Night to “Strike Out ALS”.

Splittberger was a longtime umpire and referee for MHS sports, and in his honor his family will be in attendance for the games with a ceremony between the doubleheader introducing his loved ones.

Fans planning to attend are encouraged to donate to the ALS Association, and for every $50 donated one of the MHS softball coaches will participate in the Ice Bucket Challenge.

The games against Dowling are set to start at 6 p.m.

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