T-R PHOTO BY ROSS THEDE - Marshalltown senior Tate Kuehner, bottom, successfully steals second base as Waukee’s Carson Schau (22) fields the throw during the third inning of Game 1 at Wednesday’s CIML Iowa Conference doubleheader on Wednesday night at the MHS diamond. The two teams split the twinbill with Waukee winning the opener 13-3 in six innings, and the Bobcats rallying to take the nightcap, 3-2.

For the third time in the last 10 days, the Marshalltown baseball team got knocked down only to fight back to its feet a couple hours later.

The Bobcats got bounced around by Class 4A No. 9 Waukee in the opening game of Wednesday’s CIML Iowa Conference doubleheader but bounced back to take the second game in walkoff fashion. After the Warriors rolled to a 13-3, six-inning triumph in the opener, Marshalltown proved its mettle with a 3-2, comeback victory in the nightcap.

Dylan Eygabroad drove in Blake Trowbridge and Tate Kuehner with his one-out single in the bottom of the seventh inning, sending the Bobcats (11-10, 4-6) to their second last at-bat victory in three days. Carson Williams drove in Joseph Harris as the game-winning run in the 13th inning of Monday’s second game against Mason City, and it was Eygabroad’s turn to play hero on Wednesday night.

Trowbridge worked a 10-pitch at-bat against Waukee reliever Jalen Martinez that eventually resulted in a walk, and Kuehner was plunked with the second pitch he saw. Both runners advanced on ball in the dirt and Eygabroad delivered with a hit to left.

“Our guys could have folded the tent after game one but to their credit they just kept hanging around,” said MHS head coach Steve Hanson, whose 600th career win came in the second game of a doubleheader June 10 at Fort Dodge. “We picked up a run in the fifth to tighten things up and Joseph kept throwing strikes to get us to the bottom of the seventh.

T-R PHOTO BY ROSS THEDE

“There were a few key plays in the bottom of the seventh, starting with Blake Trowbridge’s 10-pitch at-bat to get us a runner. Then Tate Kuehner got hit by a pitch but they both moved up on a very good dirt-ball read. That left it up to Dylan Eygabroad, who was patient enough to get a good pitch and then do something with it to drive in the tying and winning runs.”

Harris went all seven innings on the mound in the second game for Marshalltown, allowing two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out one. Two nights after playing a combined 20 innings, his contributions on the mound were immeasurable.

“In a week full of games, Joseph’s outing was important tonight but might be more important to the rest of our staff as we try to navigate pitch counts and arm health,” said Hanson.

Eygabroad also scored Marshalltown’s first run, cutting the deficit in half in the fifth when he walked, moved up on an error and scored on a balk with Harris at the plate. Harris followed with a single but Will Van Buren was thrown out trying to score the tying run.

Both teams had just four singles in the second game.

In the opening game, the Warriors (14-8, 5-5) scored at least two runs in five of their six at-bats, with Tony Oleshko going 2-for-3 with two doubles, two runs scored and three RBIs to lead the way.

Waukee had 11 hits while Marshalltown managed six hits — half of them doubles — in the loss. Dru Dobbins had an RBI double to plate Harris, who had singled, in the bottom of the second, and Van Buren had a two-run single in the fifth to push across Kuehner and Eygabroad, who reached on a single and double, respectively.

Aidan DeVolder also had a double in the defeat. Carson Williams allowed seven runs — four earned — in three innings on the mound, surrendering seven hits in the loss. Trowbridge and Gannon Williams went the rest of the way, allowing Waukee’s final five runs, though only two were earned as the Bobcats committed four errors.

“We got banged around in game one,” said Hanson. “We didn’t pitch it very well and consequently didn’t play very good defense, which is a bad recipe against any team but especially against a talented Top-10 team like Waukee.

“On top of the ragged pitching and defense, we also struck out nine times which takes a lot of pressure off their defense. Give Waukee’s starting pitchers some credit because they threw with plus velocity and did a nice job.”

Marshalltown marches on with tonight’s home doubleheader against Des Moines Hoover and Friday’s game at Johnston in the Brent Prange Classic. The Bobcats meet the Dragons at 4:45 p.m.

At Marshalltown

Game One

Waukee 13, Marshalltown 3, 6 innings

WAUKEE 023 323 — 13 11 0

MHS 010 020 — 3 6 4

Jackson Wentworth and Jacob Goyke; Carson Williams, Blake Trowbridge (4), Gannon Williams (5) and Joseph Harris, Aidan DeVolder (4). W–Wentworth (4-2). L–C. Williams (1-2). 2B–WAU: Aiden Ward, Jalen Martinez, Tony Oleshko 2; MHS: DeVolder, Dylan Eygabroad, Dru Dobbins. LOB–WAU 7, MHS 5.

Game Two

Marshalltown 3, Waukee 2

WAUKEE 000 200 0 — 2 4 2

MHS 000 010 x — 3 4 2

Mitch Randall, Martinez (6) and Alex Walsh; Harris and Will Van Buren. W–Harris (2-1). L–Martinez (0-3). LOB–WAU 5, MHS 7.