The Marshalltown Community College baseball team competed in their second day of the Region XI Division I Baseball Tournament on Saturday, taking on the Reivers of Iowa Western and the Falcons of Indian Hills Community College. After the Tigers upset the Falcons Friday afternoon, they advanced, setting up the quarterfinal showdown with the #2 team in the country. The Tigers would drop both games on Saturday afternoon, closing out the 2018 season.
Iowa Western Community College: Lost 13-1
The Tigers were unable to defeat the Reivers this season, dropping all eight games in conference play. The Reivers got out to a fast start, adding four runs in the first inning. They would strike again in the third inning, adding two runs and exploded in the fourth with seven runs. The Tigers were unable to mount any notable offense all game long, plating a single run in the fifth. Christopher Lopez was given the start on the mound, throwing three and one third innings and giving up seven earned runs.
Indian Hills Community College: Lost 9-4
The Tigers were able to advance this far due to upsetting the Falcons in the first round. The Falcons were kicked into the consolation bracket, defeating the Spartans of Southwestern Community College to fight their way back into Saturday's consolation semifinal for a shot at playing Iowa Western in the Championship game. The Tigers added a single run in the first inning but the Falcons responded with two. After a scoreless second inning, the Tiger plated two runs in the third to tie the game. Pitchers David Davila and Duncan Snider kept the Tigers in the game with three scoreless innings before the Falcons bats came alive, adding three runs in the final two innings to go ahead 9-4.
With the loss to Indian Hills, the Tigers season comes to an end finishing with a 9-34 record in Kim Johnson's first year as Head Coach. "We didn't have the year that we would have liked to have but we still accomplished some things," stated Head Coach Kim Johnson. "Our 23 freshman grew a ton, physically, mentally, and as young adults. We have a great foundation for the future and myself, and the rest of the coaching staff are proud of them and excited to see where we can go from here."
