By BEN KLEINE

Staff writer

Marion High School baseball coach Roger Schroeder was not entirely happy with his squad after two wins Tuesday in Galva.

“It’s easy to get relaxed when you have a lead,” Schroeder said. “They’re not going to roll over and quit. We need to work hard behind our pitcher and not give them free bases.”

The Warriors had a 9-4 lead going into the bottom of the seventh inning in the first game and allowed the Eagles to score three runs before Jacob Harper shut the door on the Canton-Galva rally to win, 9-7.

Marion had an 8-1 lead going into the bottom of the sixth inning in the second game. Starter Austin Pedersen allowed two singles to give Canton-Galva three runs. Grif Case relieved Pedersen with one out to go in the sixth. Despite giving up a single to the first batter, Case struck out batters for all of his four outs; three Eagles watched curveballs drop in for strikes without lifting their bats off their shoulders.

“We need to finish the right way,” Schroeder said.

Forgive the coach for harping on this point, he has not had a lot to complain about thus far this season.

Nearing the halfway point of the season, the Warriors are now 7-1, matching their win total from last season.

“These kids work hard; they deserve this,” Schroeder said.

The Warriors combined to score 17 runs in both games Tuesday. As in most of their games this season, it was different Warriors who did the heavy lifting in the Marion lineup. Shortstop Corey Seacat was 2-for-4 with a run and three RBIs and outfielder Harper was 2-for-3 with two runs in the first game.

Second baseman Dylan Seacat went 3-for-4 with two runs and one RBI in the second game.

“It’s good to get him going,” Schroeder said.

Catcher Matt Sprowls was 4-for-4 with a run and two RBIs in the second game.

“That’s the best I’ve seen him swing the bat,” Schroeder said.

Both Marion starting pitchers had strong outings.

Ethan Hett pitched five innings and had six strikeouts in the first game. He only allowed three walks, three hits, and three runs.

Unlike the rocky ending of his outing, Pedersen was mostly dominant in the second game. He pitched five innings, snapping off several curveballs to register 10 strikeouts. He only walked one batter while giving up five hits and four runs.

Hett and Pedersen have combined to start every game for the Warriors, a trend Schroeder does not expect to stop in the near future.

“With the way they’re pitching, I can’t take starts away from them,” he said.

While not as strong as the offense or the pitching, the Warrior defense has been nowhere near a liability. Corey and Dylan Seacat form a strong middle infield battery. Sprowls and Caleb Williams have been consistent at catcher and third base. Even though it has been Marion’s revolving door, everyone who has played the hot corner has converted outs when the ball was hit their way, whether it be Harper, Sprowls, Williams, or Luke Steele.

Pedersen and Cole Lewman have been strong center fielders; the most important defensive positions have been played effectively.

Maybe the key to Marion’s successful start to the season is a collective short memory.

“Don’t let one play dictate the next play,” Schroeder preaches to his players. “You didn’t do well in that at bat? You can’t fix it; move on.”

“They’re not letting one bad play dictate what they do.”

So far no Marion player has slumped — either at the plate or in the field — any longer than a single game at a time. Only two Warriors did not record a hit Tuesday.

Now Schroeder is attempting to extend that short memory the other direction. Forgetting about the success the Warriors accumulated throughout a game and closing the game with the same focus with which they began the contest.

The Warriors will play Sedgwick Friday at home. The game will begin at 4 p.m.