Marion falls to Hillsboro in first round

In an inter-county, Class 3A regional quarterfinal meeting between third-seeded Marion and No. 6 Hillsboro, Marion suffered a 6-4 loss Wednesday in a game postponed twice because of weather.

Of the 10 runs scored in the game, only one was earned. The teams made a combined six errors—four by Marion, two by Hillsboro.

The Trojans gained the upper hand early by scoring three runs in the opening inning. Kaden Kleiner recorded the Trojans’ only hit in the frame—a leadoff single—but were fueled by two Warrior errors and a walk.

Hillsboro added a run in the third inning when Braden Vogt led off with a single and Austin Cross drove him home with an RBI double.

Each team scored twice in the fourth inning. Hillsboro did so without a hit, benefitting from a leadoff walk and a pair of Marion errors.

The Warriors responded, using three hits and an error to get two runs back in the bottom half of the inning. Remington Putter highlighted the frame with an RBI single. Corbin Wheeler and Nathan Baldwin also hit singles in the half-inning.

Marion starter Dylan Pippin threw three 1-2-3 innings after that, and although Cross did not give up any hits in the final three innings, the Warrior offense added single tallies in the fifth and seventh innings. The Warriors left the bases loaded in the sixth inning.

Kleiner was 2-for-4 at-bat for Hillsboro. Cross had one RBI.

Cross earned the pitching win, scattered four hits and four unearned runs over seven innings of work. He walked two batters and struck out seven.

“I was proud of Cross’s performance, especially when all four runs were unearned,” coach Doug Dick said. “(Errors) can make a difference, especially when you commit a couple back to back. But overall, we battled through those things. Some guys who made errors made plays later, so it was one of those things where we hung on and beat a good team.”

Pippin sustained the pitching loss, scattered four hits and six runs (one earned) in seven innings on the mound. He walked two batters and struck out nine.

Four Warriors recorded a hit: Baldwin, Wheeler, Cole Srajer and Putter. Baldwin and Putter each had one RBI.

“The one thing that we try to pride ourselves on is we’re going to be prepared for just about any situation that comes up, and it didn’t really show today,” coach Roger Schroeder said. “We knew what we should’ve done, but hindsight’s easy to say that. It’s knowing what to do when it happens.”

Season reflections

Marion ended its season with an overall record of 13-7. The Warriors were 8-1 in Heart of America league play, losing only to Sedgwick, who finished with one more win than Marion as a result of weather-related cancellations.

For three seniors—Dylan Pippin, Remington Putter and Wesley Dicks—it was their final game as a Warrior.

“Dylan and Remington putter were both four-year guys for us,” Schroeder said. “They worked their tails off to get to where they are.

“Wesley is a two-year guy for us. (He) did some pinch running for us. We worked to try to get him in the game, but he never quit working. He always wanted to know how he could improve, even if it was just a little thing.”

Schroeder said it will be important for the Warriors to establish leadership moving forward. With a number of athletes returning, he is hopeful for the year to come.

“We’ve got a lot coming back,” Schroeder said. “We lose a guy on the bump, we lose a second baseman, but there’s a lot of pieces here already to be excited for.”

Written By
More from Janae Rempel
Sterling takes three from Tabor
The 10th-ranked Tabor College baseball team gained one victory in a four-game...
Read More