Muscatine, IA—After scoring just 12 runs in the team's last eight games, the Marshalltown Community College baseball team erupted for 31 runs in two Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) games against Muscatine Community College on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers scored a season-high in runs with a 16-10 game one win, and rolled over the Cardinals in game two 13-1.
Daryl Blaskovich (Brentwood Bay, BC/Lambrick Park) paced the Tigers in the game one slugfest, going 3-4 with his first home run of the season. The Tigers scored runs in all seven innings, including a three-spot in the third frame.
While the runs were bountiful in game two as well, it was sophomore pitcher Richard England (Centerville, IA/Centerville) that stole the show. The right hander allowed just three hits while striking out a career-high eight batters to improve to 3-1 on the year.
Eric Kent (Fort Madison, IA/Fort Madison), Ty Russell (Victoria, BC/Lambrick Park), and Aneudis Sandoval (Manati, PR/Fernando Callejo) all delivered home runs in the nightcap for the Tigers. Russell finished the game 3-3 at the plate with three RBI and two runs scored.
The Tigers pounded out 26 hits on the afternoon to earn their first two conference wins of the season.
MCC opened up game one with a 3-0 lead before scoring five runs in the third to build an 8-0 edge for starter Alex McCune (Johnston, IA/Johnston). The Cardinals rallied back for 10 runs over the next three innings as MCC maintained a slim one-run lead entering the sixth.
The Tigers scored four more runs in the seventh as the first four batters reached base, including a three-run triple from Kent. Kyle Herrick (Adel, IA/Adel-Desoto-Minburn) pitched two innings of scoreless work to end the Cardinal comeback. McCune recorded his first collegiate victory for the Tigers.
Game two picked up right where the Tigers left off as MCC scored three in the first inning as Russell and Kent connected on back-to-back home runs. After allowing a first inning run, England settled down to allow just three base runners the rest of the way. With the win, England lowered his team-leading earned run average to 3.13 on the year.
Seven different batters recorded two hits in the game two victory. Russell, Kent, and Sandoval all drove in three runs to lead the offense.
The two teams complete their four-game series with a twinbill tomorrow afternoon at Tom Bruner Field. First pitch is set for 12:00 PM.
