The Bobcats surpassed their season-high for runs scored in a game, and then they did it again.

The Marshalltown baseball team pounded out a pair of run rule-shortened victories over Des Moines North on Monday night, thumping the Polar Bears 17-2 in four innings and 19-7 in five innings to snap a 13-game losing streak and kick off a five-game homestand in style.

MHS freshman left-hander Dane Hoogensen pitched a two-hitter in the opener as the Bobcats (6-15) won for the first time in 19 days, while sophomore Aiden Holmgren and eighth-grader Jefferson August combined on a five-hitter in the nightcap.

The wins marked Marshalltown’s first sweep since taking two games from North (0-21) on May 20 in Des Moines and its first mercy-rule victories of the summer. The Bobcats’ six wins matches their best season total since 2019.

“We did a much better job all-around tonight compared to last week,” MHS head coach Colton Hanke said. “Dane gave us a good start to Game 1 and we took advantage of the baserunners we had throughout the night.”

The Bobcats needed only eight hits to get to a season-high 17 runs, boosted by 14 walks and hit batsmen provided by the North pitching staff as well as two errors.

Marshalltown’s four starting sophomores went a combined 5-for-7 at the plate with nine walks for an on-base percentage of .875. Holmgren was 1-for-1 with three walks, two RBIs and four runs scored, while Garrett Thede was 3-for-3 with a double, a walk, two RBIs and three runs scored. Bennett Ricken was 1-for-3 with two walks, two runs and three RBIs, and James Miron went 0-for-1 with three walks, a run and an RBI.

“I mean, it’s huge because that translates into the freshmen and translates into the eighth-graders, five of which are with us for tonight,” Hanke said. “They’ve got to lead by example because they’ve got to carry on the torch going off of (Sam) Greazel and (Zander) Stupp and (Caleb) Kuss(erow) and the guys from before. They’ve got to continue to help mold the leadership for the future.”

Marshalltown got four runs in its first at-bat to take the lead for good, highlighted by a sacrifice fly from Madden Martin, Larrs Schoenfelder’s RBI single and a run-scoring bloop single by Ricken.

MHS got two more runs in the second on a bloop single by Thede and a sacrifice fly by Jalen Logsdon. In the third, Holmgren hit a two-run single before scoring on Thede’s double to the gap in left-center field to make it 9-0.

North capitalized on two hits and a pair of Bobcat errors to get two runs in the fourth, but Marshalltown finished off the win with eight runs in the bottom of the fourth. The Bobcats got just two hits in the frame — an RBI single for eighth-grader Othniel “David” Diaz Albuerne and a single for Thede — but put them together with seven walks and two North errors.

Four-straight walks to Quinn McLeod, Schoenfelder, Miron and Ricken accounted for the last three runs of the game.

Thede finished with three of the team’s eight hits in support of Hoogensen, who struck out five and walked only one.

The Polar Bears donated another 20 free baserunners for Marshalltown in the second game, paving the way to a new season-high for runs scored in the five-inning finale.

Holmgren went 4-for-5 with a double, two runs, three RBIs and three stolen bases to lead the Bobcats offensively, and he pitched 2 2/3 innings for the win. The sophomore right-hander allowed just one hit but five walks and four runs — two earned — while striking out six. August pitched 2 1/3 innings of relief, allowing three runs on four hits and two walks with four strikeouts.

Marshalltown supported its pitching staff with six runs in the first inning, nine in the second and four more in the third while mixing in playing time for juniors Wyatt Peters and Treyton Gilliland, freshman Maximus Leger and eighth-graders Cayden Mares, Abel Stevenson, Bennett Thede, Kellen Ruddick, Albuerne and August.

Ricken, Albuerne and Mares drove in two runs apiece, highlighted by an RBI single for Ricken, a sacrifice fly for Albuerne, and two bases-loaded walks for Mares. Logsdon was 1-for-1 with three runs scored, while Garrett Thede was 0-for-2 but reached base in 4-of-5 at-bats and scored four times. Holmgren and Thede, batting 1-2, both got on base in eight of nine plate appearances in the twinbill.

“We’re trying to emphasize plate discipline from just a couple weeks ago and it’s been helping a lot,” Hanke said. “We’ve been able to get guys on base. Even last week and the week before, we get guys on and then we’re one hit away — we just don’t get that one hit, but we’re getting guys on base throughout the game which is encouraging.”

North suffered its 52nd consecutive loss, dating all the way back to a 2-1 win over the Bobcats on July 3, 2024. The Polar Bears went 0-29 last season.

MHS returns to action Thursday with another home twinbill, hosting Des Moines East at 5 p.m., before entertaining East Marshall on Friday for a 5 p.m. JV/varsity doubleheader.

“This is going to be a competitive week for us and tonight was a good start,” Hanke said,” and we’ve just gotta keep the momentum going into Thursday and Friday night. It’s just an exciting week for us.”

Friday will serve as the Night of Champions as Marshalltown welcomes back members of its five state championship teams (1976, 1981, 1985, 1986, 2002), honoring them between games. All players from the Marshalltown Baseball Club youth organization wearing their team jerseys will receive free admission and a meal (hot dog, popcorn, drink) as well.

Marshalltown’s five state championships is tied for ninth-most all-time in Iowa, while its 12 state tournament appearances is tied for 22nd across all classes.

“I mean, it’s tradition,” Hanke said. “It’s everybody that’s gone through and seen the success, the results, that all the hard work that’s been put into this program. Honoring the Night of the Champions for the five state champion teams, it’s just going to be a fun environment.”