Marshalltown, IA—Ryan Thrasher (Sherwood Park, AB/St. Francis Xavier) went 4-6 on Wednesday afternoon to carry the Marshalltown Community College baseball team to a pair of wins over visiting Riverland Community College at Shawn Williams Field. The Tigers (16-19) held off the Blue Devils 5-4 in game one before taking a 4-2 win in the nightcap.
Thrasher went 2-3 in each game with his biggest hit coming in the opener, a three-run double to put the Tigers up 5-0 in the third. Thrasher had a hand in all the game one scoring as the freshman drove in four runs and scored the other. Thrasher drove in a run in game two with a one-out single in the first inning to score Pedro Lopez (Naples, FL/Palmetto Ridge) and put the Tigers up 2-0.
Danny Smith (Oyens, IA/Remsen Union) got the win in game two, allowing just two earned runs in five and two-thirds of work. John Bloom (Laurel, IA/East Marshall) recorded a save in both games for the Tigers, pitching a scoreless seventh frame in each.
Thrasher got the Tigers on the board in the second inning, scoring Eric Kent (Fort Madison, IA/Fort Madison) who doubled to lead off the inning. Thrasher came around to score on a triple from Parker Rolfes (Le Mars, IA/Le Mars) to put MCC up 2-0. Thrasher's three-run double in the next frame scored Ty Russell (Victoria, BC/Lambrick Park) gave the Tigers the five-run advantage.
Game one starting pitcher Jorge Michael-Bautista (Caracus, VN/Claret) pitched three innings to pick up his first collegiate win for the Tigers, scattering seven hits and striking out two. Eight different Tigers recorded a hit in the opener, including two for Russell.
MCC scored three runs in the first inning to open game two thanks to a double from Kent to score Austin Allen (Milo, IA/Southeast Warren). Thrasher's single doubled the lead and a sacrifice fly from Aneudis Sandoval (Manati, PR/Fernando Callejo) scored Kent from the early edge.
The Tigers tacked on one more run in the second on a sacrifice fly from Allen, scoring Rolfes from third. Smith carried the Tigers the rest of the way, allowing just three hits over his final 3.2 innings of action. Prince De Marco (Chicago, IL/Agricultural Sciences) and Bloom teamed up to shut out the Blue Devils for the remainder of the game.
Thrasher has been on a tear as of late, batting .470 over his last six games to go along with 10 RBI and five runs scored during the stretch.
With the two wins, the Tigers have now won eight of their last nine games dating back to April 3.
The Tigers return to Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) play with a four-game series at first-place Indian Hills Community College on Friday and Saturday.
