Game One Infographic Game Two Infographic
Cedar Rapids, IA—The Marshalltown Community College Baseball team scored at will on Tuesday afternoon, erupting for 31 runs in two games as the Tigers swept Kirkwood Community College. The Tigers won game one 11-0 in five innings and rolled to a game two win, 20-7 in six innings.
The Tigers captured their third-straight win over the Eagles this season after MCC won 5-3 on March 15 in Vero Beach, FL. Freshman Diogen Ceballos (La Vega, Dominican Republic/Liceo la Romana) earned his first-career win on the mound, going all five innings in game one. The Tigers scored in all facets in game two, led by Hunter Embray's (Knoxville, IA/Twin Cedars) five RBI.
Along with the 31 runs, MCC pounded out 24 hits while drawing 11 walks and seven hit by pitches. MCC has now scored at least 10 runs in 14 games this season after scoring just seven runs in the team's previous four games.
The Tigers set the tone early, scoring three runs in the first inning of game one thanks to a two-run home run from Logan Holtz (Urbana, IA/Center Point-Urbana). MCC put up three more runs in the third on RBI-hits from Enmanuel Lopez (Santiago, Dominican Republic/Prepara), Holtz, and Joel Rosauer (Elk Run Heights, IA/Waterloo East). Bennett Lopez (Dorado, Puerto Rico/PRBA) added a two-run double in the fourth while Bryan Ventura (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Continental) and Enmanuel Lopez added RBI-knocks to cap the scoring in the seventh.
Making just his third appearance on the mound and first-career start, Ceballos dominated the Eagle batters. The freshman allowed just four hits in five innings while striking out five batters and issuing just one walk to earn the win.
Ventura, Bennett Lopez, Enmanuel Lopez, and Holtz combined to go 8-13 at the plate with seven runs and seven RBI. Kaleb Hanks (Sioux City, IA/Sioux City East) added a pair of runs for the Tigers.
Game two was no different for the Tigers as MCC hung four runs on the Eagles in the opening frame. The Tigers drew three walks along with two hits and a hit by pitch to take the early lead. Ventura belted a solo home run in the second to extend the lead. MCC needed just one hit in the fourth inning to score three runs thanks to four walks.
Leading 8-4 heading to the sixth inning, the Tiger offense broke out for 12 runs in the frame. Eight different players scored a run, including four players that scored twice in the inning. Embray's three-run blast was the final blow to the Eagles.
Ceballos traded places in game two, taking the role of designated hitter and the freshman flourished at the plate, going 3-5 with three runs scored. 10 different players had a hit in the game while nine recorded at least one hit, one run, and one RBI. The five RBI for Embray are a career-high. Freshman Tony Salato (Knoxville, IA/Knoxville) was 2-2 at the plate with two runs, two RBI and reached base in all five of his at bats.
The Tigers used an array of pitchers in the thrashing of Kirkwood. Starter Austin Gridley (Fairfield, IA/Fairfield) went 2.1 innings and struck out four batters. Trevor Swartz (Fremont, IA/Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont) struck out a career-high six batters in 2.2 innings of relief to earn the win. JJ Stephens (Sioux City, IA/Sioux City East) and JD Barr (South Sioux City, NE/Bishop Heelan Catholic) closed out the victory for the Tigers.
The 20 runs scored are the most for an MCC team since April 10, 2011 when the Tigers defeated Muscatine Community College 20-7.
The Tigers look to carry its throbbing offense into conference play as MCC takes on Indian Hills Community College for a four-game series this weekend. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 PM on Saturday afternoon in Centerville, IA.
