A 10-3 win at No. 4 doubles by sophomores Rick Schulenberg (above) and Brandon Mullins was one of the Owls' few highlights during an 8-4 loss to Hannibal. (Chris Allen/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge]

Marshall athletes are in need of an antidote for Cody King.

An all-NCMC performer as a football quarterback and basketball guard, the Kirksville junior is just as good in baseball -- as he showed while tossing a shutout and smashing a three-run homer during Monday's 7-0 victory over the host Owls.

Marshall senior Michael Crim may not be as gifted as his mound counterpart, but he does have a dose of bulldog tenacity in him and held the Tigers (11-3, 8-0 NCMC) scoreless through two frames. However, a one-out walk and seeing-eye single by junior Joe Williams in the third set up King for a shot which the wind pushed over the fence in right field.

Another free pass turned into a run in the fourth when junior Michael Shoush doubled. He swiped third and dashed home on an overthrow. King doubled and scored on another error in the fifth and a boot led to Kirksville's final run on a two-out seventh-inning single by junior Levi Allemang.

Marshall rapped six hits off of King, two in the first inning by freshman John Lozano and senior Kodi Phillips. Senior Mike Sartor singled, with two walks following to load the bases, but King escaped with one of his 12 strikeouts.

Sartor threatened the wall in the fifth, but the breeze worked against his drive to left-center, pushing the ball into the centerfielder's reach.

Phillips had two hits for the Owls (5-10, 3-5), who take on another strong foe today when they play at Helias in Jefferson City.

Boys' Golf

No state qualifiers for Owls

LIBERTY -- The season-long spell of inclement weather afflicted the Marshall boys' golf team Monday during the Class 3, District 8 Tournament at Liberty.

The Owls were unable to earn a medal at the event, thus didn't qualify -- either as a team or individually -- for the MSHSAA Championships, placing ninth in a 10-team field with a 402.

"Brutal," was the word MHS coach Erek Dusenberry used to describe conditions. "It was a hard course and rough -- they hadn't been able to mow -- although it was in great shape.

"We didn't handle the weather as well as some other schools did," he noted.

It was so difficult that only three players broke 80, including an impressive even-par 72 turned in by Kearney freshman phenom Ryan Zech. However, even as talented a golfer as Savannah junior Derek Baade -- the defending state champion -- saw his score balloon to 85 and barely made the cut.

Marshall's best round was turned in by freshman Brandon Hall with a 93 -- "excellent under the conditions," Dusenberry declared. Senior Cody Dusenberry started off six over par on the first five holes and came in with a 98. The Owls' other seniors, Brandon Thiel (105) and Austin Lamparter (106) rounded out the team scoring. Sophomore Tylere Dowell shot 111.

There remains one event left in the Marshall season: the NCMC Tournament, Monday at Kirksville.

Boys' Tennis

Hannibal 8, Marshall 4

COLUMBIA -- If regular season dual matches are any indication, the upcoming NCMC Tournament will be a wide open affair, with the Marshall boys' tennis team in the uncharacteristic role of underdog.

The Owls lost their six straight match Monday as league rival Hannibal notched a convincing 8-4 decision at Columbia. The Pirates (5-3, 3-0 NCMC) won four times in both singles and doubles, including a default at No. 1 singles because of the absence of junior Max Bildstein -- who was on a foreign exchange program trip to the Grand Canyon.

The gap between the Pirates and Marshall was already wide enough so that the open spot didn't make a difference. Junior Mac Evans and sophomore John Van claimed singles wins for the Owls, with sophomore Ethan Murphy dropping a close 11-9 decision at No. 6.

Evans and senior Taylor Scarff had a narrow 11-9 victory at No. 1 doubles, with sophomores Brandon Mullins and Rick Schulenberg cruising to a 10-3 win at No. 4.

The Owls (7-6, 1-2) will meet another conference foe today when they travel to Fulton, who won an earlier meeting, 7-2, two weeks ago at the Marshall Tournament.