Marion's baseball team started this season 0-5 which might send some coaches into a panic.

Steve Fish has been around the game long enough to know the important games are in July, not May.

The veteran Indians' coach saw his young team start slowly, but knew the potential was there for a solid season. That potential is turning into results.

Fish's team turned in a pair of impressive performances Thursday night, sweeping Wamac Conference foe, Anamosa, 13-3 and 10-0. Since that dismal start, Marion has gone 11-3.

"We've told the kids that this is a work in progress," Fish said. "It's more of a journey and it is all about the little things. They are beginning to understand their own strengths and weaknesses as players and that makes the game a little easier for them."

Fish put the 0-5 start in perspective.

"Sometimes people get worried about wins and losses," he said. "Sometimes it's more about that process. We have so many kids who are involved in other sports, we had some injuries and we had some injuries early. Now it is starting to come together."

The Indians made things look easy, making quick work of the visiting Raiders. Senior Trev Biery, who was sidelined by injury early in the season, had five hits and drove in five runs in the twinbill. He is in agreement with his coach on the journey aspect of the season.

"We started out a little slow, but we are young," he said. "Now we are starting to hit, put up some runs and we're getting some good pitching. We're starting to get on a roll."

The aspect of the game that pleased Fish most was the Indians' approach at the plate. None of the Anamosa pitchers were overpowering, yet many of the Marion base hits came to right and right-center field.

"Your approach has to be a little different against those type of pitchers," Fish said. "We really emphasize going the other way. If a guy throws hard or a guy throws soft, you should be able to go the other way. Our strikeouts are way down so I think we are doing a much better job at the plate."

Marion banged out 24 hits in the two games.

The pitching was solid as well.

Left-hander Nick Connelly allowed five hits in six innings in the opener. Freshman righty Gage Kray was even better in the nightcap. He allowed only one single, striking out eight in the five inning win.

Fish was pleased with Kray's performance, his second straight solid outing.

"He came out and threw the ball well," Fish said of Kray's effort. "He has shown some good things and has a lot of potential."

The season is just past the halfway point, but Biery said making the state tournament is in the back of his mind.

"First goal is conference," Biery said. "Our main goal is to sweep teams and keep rolling. Then we have to see what we can do in districts and who knows, if we stay hot, we have a shot to get to  state."

GAME 1

ANAMOSA (3) : Timp, p-2b, 3 0 1 2, Snyder, ss, 3 0 0 0, Zumbach, dh, 2 1 2 0, Frasher, c, 0 0 0 0, Lewis, 1b, 2 0 0 0, Williams, rf, 3 0 0 0, Wehling, cf-lf, 1 0 0 0, Russ, 3b, 3 1 2 1, Jeffrey, 2b, 2 1 0 0, Maruga, lf-p, 1 0 0 0, Hunt, p, 1 0 0 0. Totals 22 3 5 3.

MARION (13): Fuller, 2b, 4 2 2 3, Ch. Stekl, ss, 4 3 3 2, Biery, 1b, 3 0 2 2, Fish, pr, 0 0 0 0, Chairpar, cf, 2 1 0 0, Kray, 3b, 3 0 0 1, Hardman, lf, 3 0 0 0, J. Carstensen, ph, 1 1 1 1, Ca. Stekl, c, 4 0 2 1, Larsen, cr, 0 3 0 0, Kuhn, dh, 3 4 3 0, Connelly, p, 0 0 0 0. Cannoy, 3 0 2 3. Totals 27 13 15 13.

Anamosa   020 001 - 3 5 2
Marion       232 114 - 13 15 2

Timp, Hunt (4) and Frasher. Connelly and Ca.Stekl. WP - Connelly, LP - Timp. 2B - Zumbach, Ca.Stekl. 3B - Ch.Stekl. SB - Fuller, Chairpar, Kuhn 2.

GAME 2

ANAMOSA (0) : Timp, cf, 2 0 0 0, Jeffrey, 2b, 2 0 0 0, Zumbach, 1b, 2 0 1 0, Lewis, c, 2 0 0 0, Williams, rf, 2 0 0 0, Russ, 3b, 1 0 0 0, Rubner p, 1 0 0 0, Maruga, p, 2 0 0 0, Carpenter, p, 0 0 0 0, Shipansky, ss, 2 0 0 0, Snyder ss-p, 1 0 0 0, Hunt, 3b 0 0 0 0. Totals 16 0 1 0.

MARION (10): Fuller, 2b, 2 2 1 1, Ch. Stekl, ss, 2 2 1 1, Biery, 1b, 3 1 3 2, Fish, pr, 0 1 0 0, Chairpar, cf, 3 1 1 1, Kray, p, 2 0 0 1, Hardman, lf, 3 1 1 1, Ca. Stekl, c, 3 1 1 0, Larsen, cr, 0 1 0 0, Kuhn, 3b, 3 0 1 2, Cannoy, 2 1 0 0. Totals 23 10 9 8.

Anamosa   000 00 - 0  1 2
Marion       340 03 - 10 9 1

Carpenter, Hunt (2), Rubner (5) and Lewis. Kray and Ca.Stekl. W - Kray. L - Carpenter. 2B - Biery. 3B - Biery. SB - Zumbach, Fuller 2.