By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post Sports
HAYS – The TMP-Marian Monarchs baseball team picked up two more run-rule victories Thursday afternoon against the Holcomb Longhorns as they improved to 6-0 to start the season.
Game 1: TMP 10, Holcomb 0 (5 innings)
TMP scored in all but one inning, including a five-run fifth
that secured the Monarchs' 10-0 run-rule victory.
TMP starter Carson Liles worked around traffic in the first inning and then settled in, allowing just three hits with two walks and four strikeouts in five shutout innings.
He is 3-0 on the season with a 0.00 ERA.
Ian Nehls got the Monarchs scoring started, singling in the bottom of the first inning and stealing second and third before scoring on a wild pitch for a 1-0 TMP lead.
Following a 1-2-3 top half of the second inning, TMP’s Ty Schmeidler connected on his first homerun of the season, a solo shot to the opposite field, making it 2-0 TMP.
The Monarchs loaded the bases and, with two outs, scored on a balk and a wild pitch for a 4-0 lead through two innings.
Schmeidler pushed another run across in the third inning, with an RBI single making it 5-0 TMP.
After a scoreless fourth and top of the fifth, the Monarchs erupted for five runs en route to the 10-0 victory.
Caden Dinkel got the scoring started in the inning with a two-run homer, his third career homer, putting TMP up 7-0.
Three straight walks loaded the bases for Nash Dreiling, who drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to left field. Jacob Seib scored on a wild pitch, and then two batters later, Grant Nehls drove in the 10th run of the game for TMP on a fielder’s choice.
Ty Schmeidler and Jacob Seib each collected a pair of hits. Caden Dinkel and Schmeidler each drove in two runs.
Game 2: TMP 17, Holcomb 6 (5 innings)
The Monarchs' offense exploded for 10 runs in the third
inning in a 17-6 victory in game two.
TMP starter Logan Baalman struggled in his second start of the season and has since.
He didn’t make it out of the first inning, walking three of the first four hitters he faced.
Baalman gave way to Grant Nehls in relief, and Grant proceeded to go 2 2/3 innings, allowing just one run with a couple of walks and three strikeouts. He helped the Monarchs cut off the Longhorns momentum.
Down 2-0 through half an inning, TMP’s Ian Nehls singles to center and then steals second and third before scoring on an error, making it 2-1.
Grant Nehls tied the game at two with an RBI triple in the next at-bat.
A Caden Dinkel sacrifice fly, which scored Nehls, briefly gave TMP the 3-2.
Holcomb got a run back in the top of the second, tying the game at three.
TMP took the lead back for good, in the bottom of the inning, scoring on a dropped third strike for a 4-3 lead.
A fifth run scored on an error, putting TMP up 5-3.
Carson Liles singled in the next at-bat as the Monarchs went ahead 6-3. They added one more on a wild pitch and led 7-3 through two innings.
As part of the 10-run inning, TMP scored on a wild pitch, Connor Breit stole home, and Grant Nehls doubled in a run, making it 12-3.
The Monarchs also added runs on a Logan Baalman single and an RBI groundout, and led at that point, 14-3.
Schmeidler added his second home run of the day, putting the Monarch up 16-3.
The Monarchs' final run came on a wild pitch as they closed out a 17-6 victory.
Grant Nehls got his first win of the season on the Mound. He allowed one run and one in
Nehls, Carson Liles, Grant Nehls and Connor Breit all collected a pair of hits.
Liles, Dinkel, Nehls and Schmeidler all drove two runs for the Monarchs.
TMP (6-0, 0-0 MCL) will travel to Ellis on Tuesday for a league showdown with their rivals.