MARSHALL - It came down to one run for Marshall Legion in the team's opening game at the Mid-Summer Classic Wood Bat Tournament at Legion Field in Marshall Friday night.

"It was a great baseball game," said Marshall Mudcats coach Bryan Nikkel. "There was solid pitching and no errors. Even though we lost, we have improved and that's our ultimate goal - to improve every time we take the field."

The Mudcats gave up a run to New Ulm Gold in the third and eventually lost the game 1-0.

Marshall's Nathan Schaeffer started on the mound. In the third, Schaeffer walked lead-off batter Bryan Kehren. Then with two outs away, Wade French blasted one of New Ulm's two total hits in the game up the middle, scoring Kehren.

"We had a couple of chances early in the game," Nikkel said. "You can't wait until the end. They came through with a timely hit and we didn't. But that's baseball."

Marshall earned three hits off New Ulm's Derek Wilfahrt, who got the win on the mound. Wilfahrt struck out eight and walked one.

"I have to give credit to their pitcher," said Nikkel. "He threw strikes and did a great job. I thought our pitchers did well too."

Schaeffer took the loss on the mound. He had two strikeouts and gave up two hits and one run. Clay Ellis replaced Schaeffer on the mound in the sixth. Ellis closed out the game and earned two strikeouts.

Matt Felton opened the game with a single to left and quickly stole second. But two strikeouts and a groundout later, Felton was stranded on base.

In the second with two outs away, Schaeffer hammered a single to right-center, but was left on base when Darrick Allpress grounded out.

The Mudcats went down one, two, three in the third, fourth and fifth, but had a break in the game - literally a break when Felton splintered a bat in the sixth. Felton crushed the ball, but it only went a little further than half of the bat did towards third base.

Mason Schnaible followed up with a walk, stole second and advanced to third when New Ulm's catcher overthrew second. But again, a groundout ended the Mudcat's hopes of tying the game.

"Sometimes the thought of using a wood bat can get into the kids' heads," said Nikkel. "Errors are certainly magnified in wood bat games. But I tell the kids to grip it and rip it. Hopefully we'll be more confident in our game (today)."

Ellis earned the final of Marshall's three total hits when he pounded a single to right-center in the seventh.

For New Ulm, Zach More and French went 1-for-3. In addition, Taylor Rolloff stole three bases.

Marshall (3-3) will continue the four-team round robin tournament today with an 11 a.m. game against Albany. The Mudcats will follow up with a 5 p.m. game versus Milroy.

New Ulm001 000 0-1 2 1

Marshall000 000 0-0 3 0

M-Nathan Schaeffer, Clay Ellis (6). NU-Dalton Deinhart. WP-Deinhart. LP-Schaeffer. LOB: M-4, NU-5.