Centerville, IA— After 21 runs crossed the plate in game one, Saturday's nightcap proved to be a pitcher's duel between John Bloom (Laurel, IA/East Marshall) and Indian Hills Community College. Making his first career start, Bloom came out on top as the right hander tossed a complete-game five-hitter to lead the Marshalltown Community College baseball team to a 3-1 Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) win. The Falcons took the opener 13-8.
Bloom, the team's primary closer, was called upon to make the start due to a depleted pitching staff. Bloom adjusted accordingly to the role, allowing just one sixth-inning run to save the Tigers from being swept over the first-place Falcons. Bennett Mann (Marshalltown, IA/Marshalltown) went 2-4 at the plate and scored two runs. Ryan Thrasher (Sherwood Park, AB/St. Francis Xavier) and Parker Rolfes (Le Mars, IA/Le Mars) also collected two hits in the win.
Game one saw the Tiger (17-22/5-7) offense get off to another strong start as MCC built a 6-0 lead through three innings of play. The first four batters of the game reached base for the Tigers. Austin Allen (Milo, IA/Southeast Warren), Daryl Blaskovich (Brentwood Bay, BC/Lambrick Park), and Ty Russell (Victoria, BC/Lambrick Park) gave the Tigers a 3-0 lead through the first inning. Blaskovich drove in Alexis Melendez (San Juan, PR/IBA) and later came around to score on an Eric Kent (Fort Madison, IA/Fort Madison) single to extend the lead.
MCC held a comfortable lead through three and a half innings of play after Melendez drove in Mann to put the Tigers up 7-1. Starting pitcher Richard England (Centerville, IA/Centerville) limited the Falcons through the first three innings, but the home team eventually came around, scoring twelve runs in the bottom of the fourth off of three different pitchers to pull away. Kent's fifth inning home run was not enough to spark a comeback as the Tigers dropped their third straight to the Falcons.
Through the first three games of the four-game set with the Falcons (27-12/9-3), MCC used seven different pitchers in an attempt to score a victory. With limited arms in the bullpen, Bloom came in to shine on the mound. Bloom was faced with two runners in scoring position in the fourth, but three straight ground outs kept the Falcons off the board as MCC held a 1-0 lead thanks to a RBI-double from Pedro Lopez (Naples, FL/Palmetto Ridge), scoring Mann in the top of the fourth.
Bloom left a runner at third in the fifth and induced a double play in the sixth and seventh innings to finish off the complete game. Kent hit his third home run of the series to double the Tigers lead in the top of the sixth with a leadoff shot while Thrasher later doubled to score Mann.
Bloom, who had not pitched more than 2.2 innings in an appearance this season, improved to 2-1 on the year and lowered his earned run average to 3.80. In the last seven days, Bloom has allowed just one earned run on seven hits in 11 innings of work, picking up three saves and one win during the stretch.
Kent finished the series at Indian Hills 9-15 at the plate with three home runs, seven RBI and five runs scored.
