The Marshalltown baseball team scored 10 runs for the third game in a row, and for a moment it looked as if the Bobcats might need every one of them.

Marshalltown overcame a season-high six errors by scoring 10 runs, highlighted by a four-run fifth inning that chased off Class 4A No. 7 Southeast Polk in the first game of Monday’s CIML Iowa Conference doubleheader, 10-5.

The rain chased away the second game, which was suspended with the visiting Rams leading 2-1 in the bottom of the second.

None of Southeast Polk’s five runs came earned to either starting pitcher Wade Canaday or reliever Joseph Harris, but the Bobcats made their efforts stand up by scoring a bunch of runs.

“We built a nice early lead then squandered it,” said MHS head coach Steve Hanson. “The good news is that we tacked on four runs which allowed us to close out the win pretty smoothly.

“As I told our guys after the game, we probably won’t play another game all year in which we commit six errors — and win.”

The Bobcats (4-2) broke the game open early with a four-run bottom of the first, highlighted by back-to-back run-scoring singles for Harris and Carson Williams. Bennett Hageman plated another on his fielder’s choice grounder, and Dru Dobbins followed with an RBI double.

Leadoff walks from Joe Burnes and Will Van Buren started the second, and both Bobcats eventually scored on Canaday’s groundout. Burnes came across on the grounder to third and Van Buren raced all the way around on the first baseman’s throwing error.

The 6-0 lead seemed secure for Marshalltown until Southeast Polk capitalized on three errors in the top of the fourth to scrounge up three runs. Two more came across against Harris in the fifth after two more errors coupled with a triple by the Rams’ Calvin Harris.

The ‘Cats came back with an answer, scoring four times off reliever Adam Schneider to break the game back open.

“We did a nice job of moving the ball and picking up some key hits in the first game tonight,” said Hanson. “Our pitching wasn’t crisp but our defense was worse, which added on extra outs and pitches. You can’t give good teams extra chances, so in a sense we were fortunate to have the bats going tonight.

“Defense and pitching go hand in hand. When one is good, the other is normally good as well. We just have to be more consistent in both areas.”

Harris and Williams both had two hits to lead the Bobcat bats, while Canaday struck out four to improve to 2-1 and Harris struck out one in three innings of relief for the save.

The second game may be made up prior to Marshalltown’s trip to Pleasant Hill on June 24, but no plans had been announced as of press time. For now, the Bobcats’ next outing is another home doubleheader on Wednesday against Ottumwa.

“We have a bunch of games this week so we’ll need to rely on a number of guys who have yet to pitch this season,” said Hanson. “Hopefully they can get the ball over the plate and then our defense needs to respond.”