Craig’s Marro Tops Off Incredible Comeback Season

GRAND CHUTE–

As I shook hands with Alex Marro for the first time, the grin he had on his face told it all: he was ecstatic to play in his first and last state championship game as a high school student. The championship game coming only one year after Marro didn’t know if he’d be able to play baseball again, at least to the level he had.

Marro was a catcher, but faced with several shoulder injuries and a surgery, catching was no longer a possibility.

The Cougars and Marro both faced an interesting situation: without Marro being able to catch and going into his senior year, he needed a spot on the field, but where?

The answer was right in front of him: the mound.

Obviously Marro couldn’t throw everyday, but once a week is still a reason to smile for Marro, because he didn’t know if he’d be playing one year prior to receiving the role of ‘Ace’.

“Coming off of those injuries was kind of tough for me, I didn’t think I’d be able to come back from them, but when I did, I put in the time and effort and once I found out we needed an ace pitcher I was like, ‘Okay, I’ll fit into that role and I’ll try to help my team out.'”

Marro threw the season of his life, posting an 8-1 record over 11 starts in the regular and postseason prior to state, which came with a 1.99 ERA and 67 strikeouts.

Going into the state quarterfinal against a 22-6 Baraboo team, Marro knew it would likely be the last time he ever stepped on the mound as a high school ball player.

Marro threw a four-hit shutout in 6.1 innings. He was an absolute animal in the team’s 7-2 win over the Thunderbirds, striking out six.

“It was a great game, but it started out kind of slow in the beginning, but once we got going we knew we had to kick it up or whatever,” Marro told me on Thursday, “I just pitched good and my teammates knew if I pitched good we would win.”

Now, the Cougars will fight the Papermakers of Kimberly to be crowned the state’s top team in division one.

“Our approach is to go and play our game. It doesn’t matter who we play, Kimberly’s been here and they have the experience, and if we go play our game it’ll be a great game.”

First pitch is scheduled for 6PM at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute. You 

UPDATE: Janesville Craig beat Kimberly 2-0 in the division one championship. Although Marro did not play, he still loved the win as much as everyone else.   

~Alex Strouf (@LetsGoAlex)