Marshalltown, IA- Tony Salato (Knoxville, IA/Knoxville) had a career-day for the Marshalltown Community College baseball team on Thursday as the sophomore connected on three home runs in a 16-11 win at Ellsworth Community College. Salato finished the day 5-5 at the plate with five runs scored.
For the second straight game, the Tiger offense was on full display. MCC belted a total of six home runs in the win, including a pair from Enmanuel Lopez (Santiago, Dominican Republic/Prepara) and a three-run blast from Luis Duran (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic/Centro de Estudio Espaillat) to join Salato's big day.
Lopez and Salato delivered back-to-back home runs in the first inning with Lopez's coming as a three-run shot to put the Tigers up 4-0. MCC continued to own the Panther pitching in the second inning with the addition of three more home runs in the frame from Duran, Lopez, and Salato.
Leading 9-6 after three innings, freshman Adam Barrett (Council Bluffs, IA/Abraham Lincoln) corralled Ellsworth with six relief innings on the mound, striking out a career-high 10 batters along the way to earn his second win of the season.
Salato added a triple to add to his hit parade, finishing the night with 16 total bases. He has recorded a hit in nine of his last 11 games to up his season batting average to .350.
Along with the team's game with Southeastern Community College on Tuesday, the Tigers have combined to score 27 runs on 24 hits in their last two contests.
MCC returns to Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) action with a four-game home series with Southwestern Community College on Saturday and Sunday. The Tigers swept the Spartans in the previous series in Creston, IA.
