Council Bluffs, IA—The Marshalltown Community College baseball team extended their first-ever NJCAA Northern District Tournament appearance for as long as they could, but the Tigers fell 10-9 to No. 12 Wabash Valley College in 12 innings on Saturday, ending their tournament run. The Tigers finish the 2014 season with a 22-35 record overall.
The heart of the MCC order, Daryl Blaskovich (Brentwood Bay, BC/Lambrick Park), Ty Russell (Victoria, BC/Lambrick Park), and Eric Kent (Fort Madison, IA/Fort Madison) went a combined 9-15 with seven runs scored and four RBI to pace the Tiger offense. Parker Rolfes (Le Mars, IA/Le Mars) played a pivotal role on the mound for MCC, working 7.1 innings of relief, allowing just three hits and one earned run.
After suffering a 12-4 defeat to South Suburban College on Friday, the Tigers were determined to keep their season alive as MCC took on the Warriors in Saturday's opening game. For the second straight day, the Tigers' opponent took a first inning lead as the Warriors plated three runs in the top of the first.
Saturday proved to be a different start for the Tiger offense as MCC responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the frame. Austin Allen (Milo, IA/Southeast Warren) led off with a walk followed by a Blaskovich double to threaten early. Russell singled to drive in the team's first run while Ryan Thrasher (Sherwood Park, AB/St. Francis Xavier) and Pedro Lopez (Naples, FL/Palmetto Ridge) delivered RBI-singles to tie the game.
Both sides traded single runs in the second inning as Blaskovich scored his second run of the afternoon on a passed ball. The Warriors posted singled runs in the third and fourth innings only to see the Tigers rally from behind once again. With one out in the fourth, Blaskovich sparked the offense with his second double of the game, and third of the tournament. Kent traded places with Blaskovich with an RBI-double and Bennett Mann (Marshalltown, IA/Marshalltown) put the Tigers up one with a two-run home run to deep right field.
MCC starting pitcher Richard England (Centerville, IA/Centerville) was pulled with one out in the fourth after racking up a career-high 10 strikeouts. The sophomore was in line for the win before the Warriors continued their theme of scoring in every inning, bringing in two in the fifth and another in the sixth to regain the lead. Trailing 9-7, Russell delivered a solo home run to cut the deficit in half while hurler Parker Rolfes (Le Mars, IA/Le Mars) came in to shut down the opposition on the mound.
Rolfes entered the game with two outs in the fifth and dazzled on the hill, allowing just one earned run over the next three innings. While Rolfes did his job to keep the Tigers in contention, Blaskovich continued to propel the Tigers to their desired goal of the program's first-ever district tournament win. The sophomore belted a 2-1 pitch over the right field wall for a solo home run in the eighth to tie the game at nine.
The Warrior hitters remained baffled by Rolfes as the freshman tossed a perfect ninth to send the game into extra innings. NJCAA Pitcher of the Week Jake Lewis cooled the MCC bats as the extra innings proved to be a pitcher's duel. The Warriors ended the game's scoring drought after a leadoff walk in the 12th eventually scored on a single to left field for the game-winner.
Wabash advances to play the loser of Iowa Western Community College and South Suburban, with the winner advancing to the 2014 NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, CO May 24-31.
