Havlicek powers Bulldogs to conference victory over War Eagles

By Audrey Posten, Times-Register

The MFL MarMac baseball team went 1-3 last week, scoring an early victory over Clayton Ridge/Central before dropping games to Jesup, Kee and Wapsie Valley.

Senior Max Havlicek powered the Bulldogs to the 5-2 victory over Clayton Ridge/Central on June 15, smacking two homers and throwing a one-hitter on the mound.

Havlicek, who went 2-3 and also walked once, hit his first homerun in the fifth inning, putting the Bulldogs ahead 2-0, then cranked a two-run shot in the sixth as part of a three-run inning for MFL MarMac. The War Eagles scored twice in the bottom of the seventh, but Havlicek limited the damage. He gave up just one hit, three walks and two runs—only one of which was earned—over seven innings, while striking out nine batters.

Chauncy Drahn also had a good game offensively, going 2-3 with an RBI. Kaden Stocker singled, walked twice, stole two bases and scored two runs, while Landon Johnson was 2-4, including a double, and stole a base.

The Bulldogs couldn’t keep the winning momentum going June 16, losing 11-0 to Jesup. The J-Hawks, who tallied nine hits and five walks and took advantage of three MFL MarMac errors, pushed across five of their runs in the fourth inning, then continued to tack on through the seventh.

MFL MarMac had five hits and five walks, but couldn’t generate any runs. Havlicek and Karter Decker each had two hits apiece, while Jacob Schellhorn added the other.

Stocker took the loss for the Bulldogs, allowing three hits and five runs, only four of which were earned, in three innings. He walked two batters, hit another and struck out three. Parker Kuehl pitched four innings, surrendering seven hits and six earned runs. He also had three walks, a hit batter and two strikeouts.

It didn’t get any easier for the Bulldogs against conference-leading Kee on June 17. The Hawks scored 10 runs on 14 hits and kept MFL MarMac off the board to snag a shutout victory. The Bulldogs were again hurt defensively, with five errors, and also allowed six Kee stolen bases.

The loss went to Schellhorn, who, over five innings, allowed 12 hits and eight runs. Only three of those runs were earned, however.

Offensively, MFL MarMac had just three hits, including singles from Havlicek and Drahn and a double by Ben Krambeer.

The Bulldogs wrapped up the week June 18, losing to Wapsie Valley 7-6 in extra innings. MFL MarMac led 2-0 through the first three innings, before a three-run fourth put the Warriors ahead 3-2. The Bulldogs then scored once in the bottom of the frame, resulting in a 3-3 tie. Wapsie Valley added one run in both the sixth and seventh innings, going up 5-3, but MFL MarMac tied them with two runs in the bottom of the seventh to send the game into extras. The Warriors pushed across two runs in the top of the eighth, however, the Bulldogs could muster only one and fell just short.

Drahn had three of MFL MarMac’s six hits, with two singles and a double, and drove in two runs and scored once himself. He also stole a base. Krambeer singled and walked, picked up an RBI and scored a run. Stocker was 1-2 with two walks, a stolen base and an RBI, while Cullen McShane doubled, swiped two bases and scored a run.

Krambeer gave up 10 hits over six and two-thirds innings, and four of the five runs that crossed the plate were earned. He walked four batters and struck out three. Drahn, who allowed three hits, two walks and two earned runs over an inning and one-third, was given the loss.

MFL MarMac now sits at 7-12 overall and 5-5 in the Upper Iowa Conference. This week’s schedule includes five games, starting with a home doubleheader against North Fayette Valley on June 21, and followed by road match-ups at Postville on June 22, Turkey Valley on June 24 and Dunkerton on June 26.