Marion splits with Canton-Galva, Council Grove
The Marion High School baseball team continued their best imitation of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" April 15 against the Canton-Galva Eagles on a scheduled road match-up.
The Warriors fell to the Eagles in the first game of the double-header 12-2, but controlled the second game, winning by seven runs in an 11-4 victory.
With Clayton Chamberland on the mound for the Warriors in the second game, the Warriors responded after their first-game drubbing by taking an early 2-0 lead in the first inning. The Warriors continued their masterful work in the batter's box in the second inning with two additional runs, giving Marion a 4-0 advantage. Marion snagged another run in the third inning, before Canton-Galva got on the board for their first run of the game.
The Warriors answered the Eagle's run in the third with two runs of their own in the fourth. Canton-Galva stayed cool. While holding the Warriors scoreless in the fourth, fifth, and sixth, the Eagles grabbed a run in each of the next three innings closing the margin to three.
Marion prevailed in the waning inning of the game holding on to the eventual 11-4 win.
In game one, Canton-Galva jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the first inning of play and continued to pour it on, scoring two runs in the second and third innings. It looked grim as the Eagles took an early 8-0 run.
After David DeForest scored from third base on a Chamberland double in the fourth inning, the Warriors trailed by seven. In the fifth, Tyson Heidebrecht scored after Josh Kelsey walked in a bases-loaded situation. Despite narrowing the margin to six, the Eagle offense got the best of starting pitcher Jimmy Shipman. The Eagles added four additional runs in the fifth to close out the game for the win.
Council Grove
Behind the arms of senior Jimmy Shipman and junior Tyson Heidebrecht the Marion High School baseball team rallied from a one-run deficit in the bottom of the sixth inning to snag a 2-1 win over the Council Grove Braves in game number two of an April 13 double-header.
Shipman, who picked up the win for the Warriors, pitched two innings, striking out one batter and allowing one hit in the closing innings of the game. Heidebrecht started the game, pitching five innings and striking out two batters. The junior allowed four hits in his time on the mound.
"Tyson Heidebrecht started the second game after pitching four innings of shutout relief in the first game," head coach Sean Spoonts said. "He threw five innings allowing only one run in the fifth. I was pleased with Tyson's effort. He kept his pitch-count down as well as his walks. Jimmy came in relief in the sixth and mowed down the side."
The Warriors scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning as DeForest and Chamberland both crossed home plate in the inning. After the two runs, Spoonts said his team remained poised.
"We had an error to lead the bottom of the seventh, but Jimmy and our defense kept their composure," Spoonts said.
With two outs and the tying run on third base in the seventh inning, Shipman forced a ground-ball that skipped to DeForest, who threw the batter out at first base to end the game and seal the win for the Warriors.
"We did what we have been striving to do all year — limit walks, limit errors, keep the game close, and win the close games," Spoonts said.
Marion compiled four hits to the Braves' five and committed two errors in the victory. DeForest and Chamberland led the way for the Warriors offensively. Each were one-for-three while each scored one of two Warrior runs. Senior Tyler Stubenhofer was one-for-two in the batter's box and added two stolen bases.
In game one of the double-header match-up with the Braves, Marion fell 15-7, after allowing a 10-run third inning.
"We started off leading 2-1, but defensive miscues and walks in the third and fourth blew the game wide open," Spoonts said. "We made adjustments pitching-wise in the third and brought in Clinton Jeffrey. He did his job and threw strikes."
The Warriors took an early 2-1 lead in the first inning, but in the second inning Council Grove posted four runs to Marion's one. Marion trailed 5-3 before allowing 10 runs in the third inning. Warrior hurler Heidebrecht shut out the Braves the remainder of the game. The Warriors added a run in the fifth and the seventh only to lose by eight runs in the final.
"Tyson did a great job in the first game pitching," Spoonts said. "I was very pleased with his performance. Playing on Tuesday then on Thursday makes it tough on pitchers' arms. We went with both lefties to start with so we would have a chance of winning four games not just two of four. Unfortunately, it didn't work out for us the first game."
Chamberland led the way for the Warriors offensively, going three-for-four, batting in a run, and scoring three. DeForest snagged two hits at four at-bats and scored a run in the win. Stubenhofer was one-for-two in the game, while scoring a run.
