Magg 7-16, four RBIs against Smoky and Hoisington
Sports editor
They couldn’t put them away.
Leading 13-4 in the bottom of the fifth inning Friday, the Marion baseball team needed just one run to end the game because of a 10-run rule and earn its second victory of the season.
MHS shortstop Wil Case stood on third with nobody out.
After two straight pop-outs, it looked like they would be heading into the sixth inning.
Then, they got some help.
Marshall Ragland’s fly ball was dropped by the Hoisington right fielder and Case jogged home with the winning run.
After he touched home plate the Warriors (3-13) won for the second time in three games.
It had been a rough season and the blowout was exactly what they needed.
It came on the heels of a 4-2 victory April 28 at Smoky Valley.
“I was pleased with the way we played in both wins, but was disappointed that we didn’t pick-up the other two victories,” said MHS Head Coach Shaun Craft. “I thought in both games we let a couple get away that we had a real opportunity to win.”
Craft is like any coach, and wants to win them all. However, he was glad to see the bats come alive.
“I was much more pleased with the bats this week, especially in the Hoisington game,” he said.
Who wouldn’t have been?
The Warriors scored in every inning but one, smacked 12 hits in 27 at-bats, and had nine RBIs.
Brian Fruechting was 3-for-4 with two RBIs, Case 2-for-4 with four RBIs, and catcher Matt Sprowls had one hit and three RBIs.
Left fielder Adam Maag was 0-for-4, but that was his only bad game at the plate all week. In the other three games the junior was 7-for-12 with six RBIs.
He knocked in all three runs in a game one loss to Smoky Valley, and had four hits and two more RBIs in an 11-8 loss to Hoisington.
“I am very pleased with Adam’s hitting right now,” Craft said. Not only has he been hitting well, but the hits have been driving in runs, in key situations.”
One of the problems the Warriors have had is getting more than just one or two players hitting the ball at the same time.
This week the Warriors hit .321 as a team, and Craft thinks his players can do that the rest of the season.
“As a team, we still are not hitting like I know were capable of,” he said, “but hopefully last week was a little confidence builder to get a few of our guys out of slumps.”
One of the players Craft hopes will break out of a slump is center fielder Isaac Hett. A strong defensive player, Hett has struggled at the plate this season.
He was 0-for-9 during the week until he found his stroke during the Hoisington victory. The junior was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
“Isaac is another player who has been hitting much better as of late,” Craft said. “He has been hitting the ball hard, but unfortunately many of his hits have been right at the defense.”
The defensive side has been up-and-down for the Warriors this year, proving so during this past week. In two victories, the Warriors gave up just six runs and committed only one error. In two losses, they yielded 17 runs and committed six errors.
Utility player Colten Olsen helped the defense by throwing a complete game against Hoisington to pick up his second victory of the season.
He allowed four runs on seven hits while striking out two. He also was 1-for-3 and scored two runs out of the leadoff spot. The versatile junior has played second, third, shortstop, pitcher, and catcher this season.
“Colten is a baseball player. He loves the game and is the ultimate team player,” Craft said. “He is always willing to do whatever is asked of him and you always know you are going his best effort.”
Ragland earned the victory on the mound against Smoky Valley, pitching 1.2 scoreless innings of relief.
Fruechting started the game and went 5.1 innings, allowing just five hits and two earned runs while striking out seven.
Craft said he is looking forward to the rest of the season, which includes four regular season games and a regional May 18-21 that will be played at Marion.
“Getting a few victories here in the past couple weeks has helped the atmosphere,” he said. “It is always easier to come to practice with a positive attitude when you are winning a few games. I have to give credit to the guys for not quitting and continuing to work to improve each day.”
Notes
Case also had six RBIs during the week and was 5-for-14 at the plate … Olsen has two of three victories on the mound this season … The Warriors 20-for-20 on stolen base attempts during the week … Olsen had the only triple during the week for Marion and its two opponents … The regular season ends Friday with a doubleheader at Hillsboro.