The Bobcat Softball Classic came at a good time for a confidence boost.

The Marshalltown softball squad went 3-2 over the weekend in its annual two-day tournament, closing with three games and two wins on Saturday.

Briley Danielson homered twice and fellow junior Emma Stupp hit her team-leading seventh home run of the season as the Bobcats went 2-1 with wins over Colfax-Mingo and BCLUW and a narrow loss to Grundy Center.

For the weekend, Marshalltown (13-18) averaged 7.4 runs per game — nearly double their season average (3.9) going into Friday.

“Offensively I think they gained a lot of confidence at the plate,” said MHS first-year head coach Madaline Dalke. “Sure, it wasn’t the best pitching in terms of like Fort Dodge or Ottumwa, but I think they were able to adjust well, and what we really worked on this week was disciplined at-bats — not swinging at junk — and they did a great job all three games.

“That will be very helpful moving forward. This should be a good week for us as long as we show up and put our best foot forward.”

The Bobcats started that way on Saturday, scoring 10 times in their first at-bat to break away from Colfax-Mingo. The Tigerhawks (6-15) scored three runs in the top of the first inning before Marshalltown marched to double digits.

Danielson’s first home run of the season — a two-run shot to straightaway center field — chased C-M starting pitcher Dakota Allen from the circle. MHS sent 13 batters to the plate in the inning and racked up six hits while capitalizing on a trio of Tigerhawk errors.

The Bobcats blasted out 16 hits in support of junior pitcher Hanna Osgood, who earned her first varsity win of the season by going all five frames in the circle.

“I thought it was a good experience for her to get some time in,” Dalke said. “She didn’t give up many unplayable balls and she did a good job of holding them in the middle. I thought she had a good game.”

Stupp went 4-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs, while Danielson was 2-for-4 with a double, a homer, three RBIs and three runs scored. Abby Janssen was 3-for-3 with two runs and four RBIs, and Olivia Wise went 3-for-4 with a two-run single and a run scored.

Bristol Ealy, Lauren O’Neal and Kendall Brummel all had a single and two runs scored, while Brummel drove in two runs. Osgood singled and drove in a run, and her courtesy runner Ella DeMonte scored as well.

Colfax-Mingo scored three times in both its first and last at-bats, capitalizing on four Marshalltown errors. Osgood gave up three earned runs on five hits over five innings, walking two while striking out one.

The Bobcats were locked in a 2-all tie with Grundy Center until the Spartans (16-6) scored five times in the top of the fifth to take the lead for good. Marshalltown rallied back to within 8-6, getting the tying runs on base, but couldn’t complete the comeback.

Singles by Danielson, Faith Sommerlot and Stupp, and a walk to DeMonte got the Bobcats going against an 8-2 deficit in the bottom of the sixth. Wise scored one with a sacrifice fly, and Brummel’s misplayed grounder plated another to get MHS within 8-6. Ealy singled to put two runners on, but the Spartans scrambled out of the situation.

Grundy Center’s Maddy Hendershot came on to pitch for Allison Koch in the seventh and retired the heart of Marshalltown’s batting order to seal the win. Hendershot also went 4-for-4 with a triple and three runs scored to lead the Spartans. Evelyn Geerdes added an inside-the-park home run.

Danielson and Stupp both went 3-for-4 with a home run and two runs scored, while Osgood had two singles. Ealy, Janssen and Sommerlot added singles in support of Stupp, who allowed seven earned runs on 10 hits and two walks for the loss. She struck out five.

The Bobcats closed out the weekend — and their 13th game in eight days — with a 6-4 win over BCLUW. Back-to-back two-run doubles by Erandy Ibarra Madrigal and Wise broke a 2-all tie and gave MHS the lead for good.

The Comets (8-11) struck first with two runs in the top of the first, getting an RBI double by Wyllo Collins and consecutive singles by Adelynn Zoske and Brooke Ward to take a 2-0 lead.

Marshalltown countered in the second inning when Wise doubled, Leah Graves singled, and both runners came across when Brummel’s bunt was misplayed.

The ‘Cats sent nine batters to the plate in the third, scoring four times to take the lead before BCLUW answered with two runs in the fourth. Eden Ladehoff’s two-run double cut the Comets’ deficit in half, but her bases-loaded line drive to center field in the fifth was gloved by Graves for the final out.

Collins was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI and Ward was 2-for-3 with an RBI to lead the BCLUW offense. Collins struck out three and walked three, allowing four earned runs on seven hits in the five-inning contest (time limit).

Danielson struck out four and walked three, allowing no earned runs on seven hits as the Bobcats committed four errors.

“The girls worked hard all week and all weekend,” said Dalke. “At the end of three games back-to-back-to-back you’re tired, and even though we only scored six runs we hit a lot of balls hard. They made some great plays in the outfield.”

BCLUW’s first game of the day was a 2-1 loss to Clarke Community. Ladehoff struck out nine and walked none, allowing only five hits and one earned run in the defeat.

Cami Ward was 3-for-3 and Zoske went 2-for-3 to lead the Comets’ eight-hit attack. Leila Wedgwood, Ladehoff and Collins all added singles, while Raine Sireno scored the team’s only run on a hit by Cami Ward.

Both teams scored their only runs in the sixth inning, with Clark tallying twice in the top half and BCLUW once in the bottom.

Vivian Hawxby was 2-for-3 with an RBI, Miah Graves doubled and scored, and Avery Watson hit an RBI single and scored for the Indians (13-15). Parker Truitt struck out one and walked none from the circle for the win.

Marshalltown resumes play Monday night with a doubleheader at Des Moines Lincoln. The Bobcats host Mason City for a twinbill on Wednesday and visit Waterloo East on Thursday.

“It’ll be a mental battle for them this week, but there should be some wins we can take away from it before the holiday weekend,” Dalke said. “If they keep playing and competing and pushing, we should walk away with a winning season.”