MCC head coach Anthony Everman said there’s no need to look past the eight total errors his team committed in the two games when looking for a reason for the losses.

“We didn’t handle the ball very well on defense, we gave them more opportunities to score than I would have liked and our guys would have liked,” Everman said. “A lot of walks and hit by pitches and errors, we gave them more opportunities to score and when we do that, they’re going to score.”

Despite the constant setbacks, neither game was out of reach for the Tigers (6-23) in the seventh inning. In the first game specifically, MCC trailed 6-2 heading to the final frame but after a leadoff single by Ryan Carter, a double by Tyler Coleman and a hit-by-pitch taken by Joel Torrealba, the Tigers had the bases loaded and with no outs.

Luis Menendez took advantage of the situation with a one-out single that brought home Carter and Coleman and still left two batters on with two outs remaining, but back-to-back strikeouts ended the chance to win the game.

T-R PHOTO BY THORN COMPTON - Marshalltown Community College pinch runner Jeffry Roldan (23) slides into third base where Indian Hills’ Garrett Takamatsu attempts to tag him out during the first game of the Tigers’ doubleheader with the Falcons at Shawn Williams Field on Friday.

Everman said he was pleased with how his guys never gave up, but he also would like to see them take advantage of what is in front of them.

“We talk a lot about any time we get the opportunity to get the tying run to the plate is a good thing,” he said. “I think the mentality of trying to get back to the plan happened a little bit better in the last inning than it may have in the previous innings. Give our guys credit for not giving in, but we would like to see a little bit more consistency so we can see more consistency in the win column as well.”

Game one was the better pitching showing as well, with Jacob Everaert taking the loss after throwing 5 innings and allowing five hits, five runs, walking three and striking out three.

“Overall limiting the free bases was key for Jake,” Everman said. “He had some defensive lapses behind him and later on he had a couple walks that came back to hurt him, but against any college baseball team when you give them more opportunities than is guaranteed or mandated then they are going to score more runs.”

Walter Hernandez was the losing pitcher in game two after throwing just 4 2/3 innings and allowing eight hits, eight runs, walking two and hitting a batter.

T-R PHOTO BY THORN COMPTON - Marshalltown Community College shortstop Candido Encarnacion (17) winds up to throw to first for a double play after forcing out Indian Hills baserunner Garrett Takamatsu at second base during game two of a doubleheader at Shawn Williams Field on Friday.

Wyatt Wendell was the winning pitcher in game one for the Falcons (18-19) and Zacharie Allard picked up the win in game two.

Coleman had a good day at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with a run and a stolen base in game one and finishing with a total-day line of 5-for-7 with two runs and a stolen base. Tom Josten had two doubles on the day and a run scored in the third inning of game two on a wild pitch, and Candido Encarnacion reached base three times in game two with a single, an RBI and a run scored.

Everman said his team doesn’t lack for talent, it’s more what happens between their ears that leads to losses, and that can be chalked up to a lack of experience..

“We have a lot of guys who have a lot of ability, it’s just a matter of us consistently playing with that mentality that we are trying to beat somebody. A lot of these guys have never played at this level, and that’s not an excuse, it’s just a reason why we have some lapses in consistency,” he said. “Even our three catches behind the plate were not every-day starters last year. Both of our first basemen that played today were freshmen, both of our second basemen today were not every-day starters. Candido has been great for us this year and probably has the most playing experience out of everybody that’s playing, Ryan [Carter] is a redshirt sophomore and he didn’t play here last year, it’s just a matter of us consistently running off the plans that we are trying to run off and we just need to get better at doing that.”

This was the first time in three doubleheaders against Indian Hills this season that the Tigers have been swept, but they get a chance to avenge that today with another twinbill scheduled against the Falcons starting at 1 p.m. in Centerville.

T-R PHOTO BY THORN COMPTON - Marshalltown Community College batter Tyler Coleman turns on a pitch in the first game of the Tigers’ doubleheader with Indian Hills Community College at Shawn Williams Field on Friday.

“Tomorrow is a new day, it’s another opportunity,” Everman said. “That’s what’s great about baseball, you get a chance to play again and get a chance to prove your worth.”

At Marshalltown

Game One

Indian Hills CC 6, Marshalltown CC 4

IHCC 210 002 1 — 6 7 1

MCC 001 001 2 — 4 10 4

Wyatt Wendell, Jordan Bahnuk (7) and Gattett Takamatzu, Jacob Kristensen (4); Jacob Everaert, Michael Ver Lee (6) and Joel Torrealba. W–Wendell. L–Everaert. S–Bahnuk. 2B–IHCC: Brady Nowicki; MCC: Tom Josten, Reece Blay, Tyler Coleman. LOB–IHCC 9, MCC 11.

Game Two

Indian Hills CC 10, Marshalltown CC 5

IHCC 210 520 0 — 10 11 1

MCC 002 003 0 — 5 6 4

Zacharie Allard, Nick Marshall (6) and Kristensen; Walter Hernandez, Jimmy Kurka (4), Blake Lindsey (5), PJ Rodriguez (7) and Torrealba. W–Allard. L–Hernandez. 2B–IHCC: Jameson Hart; MCC: Josten. 3B–IHCC: Nathan Chasey. LOB–IHCC 12, MCC 7.