Neosho, MO—The Marshalltown Community College Baseball team split a pair of games with No. 17 Crowder College on Saturday afternoon, snapping a nine-game losing streak to the Roughriders. The Tigers took game one 2-0 but dropped the nightcap 4-0.
Saturday proved to be a pitcher's dual on both sides as Kolton Gonnerman (Centerville, IA/Centerville) earned the game one win for the Tigers while Elijah Wood (Washington, IA/Washington Community) allowed just one earned run in six innings in game two despite being tagged with the loss.
The win over the Roughriders is the first in the history of the MCC Baseball program. The Tigers dropped a pair of four-game series to Crowder, one in 2015 and the other in 2014. The Tigers also lost to the Roughriders in 2006.
Gonnerman took the mound in game one for the Tigers, his second start of the season. The sophomore got the initial run support in the top of the second inning as Enmanuel Lopez (Santiago, Dominican Republic/Prepara) came around to score on an infield error.
The Roughriders put the leadoff batter on base in each of the first four innings, but Gonnerman was able to limit the damage, keeping the home team off the scoreboard. The right-hander sat the opposition down in order in both the fifth and sixth innings before the Tigers added another run in the seventh as Lopez scored on a wild pitch to double the lead.
Freshman Juan Carlos Gonzalez (Piedra Blanca, Dominican Republic/Salome Urena de Hernriquez) relieved Gonnerman in the bottom of the seventh and despite allowing two baserunners, the Tigers took the game one victory with just one hit on the board.
Gonnerman struck out seven batters without issuing a walk and allowed only four hits in six innings.
The Roughriders took advantage of a costly error in the first inning of game two and scored four runs on the Tigers in the opening frame, but only one run was earned for starting pitcher Wood. The sophomore kept the Crowder hitters off balance the rest of the afternoon, allowing just four baserunners over the final five innings.
Wood's strong outing was not enough for the Tigers as the MCC offense mustered up just two hits in the loss. Bennett Lopez (Dorado, PR/PRBA) and Enmanuel Lopez each collected a hit.
Wood finished the day with seven strike outs and did not allow a walk in six innings.
The two teams wrap up the weekend series with a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon with first pitch set for 1:00 PM.
