Photo by Sam Thiel Marshall’s Chase Douglas connects for a base hit during Game 1 of their doubleheader against the Sioux Falls Cyclones on Monday. Marshall Orange defeated the Cyclones 6-5 in the opener before falling 7-2 in the nightcap.

MARSHALL – It was a tale of two games for the Marshall 15U Orange baseball team in its doubleheader against the Sioux Falls 14U Cyclones on Monday. The opener was a back-and-forth classic, with Marshall using its patience at the plate to win 6-5 before the Cyclones earned a split with late scoring to take the nightcap 7-2. Both games were played in six innings.

In the opener, Marshall Orange got things going right away in the bottom of the first, as Josh Baker was hit by a pitch with one out before Cole Felcyn reached on an infield single and a wild pitch gave Marshall a quick 1-0 lead.

The Cyclones responded, though, using a leadoff walk and a single before tying things up at 1-1 on a double steal in the top of the second. Marshall Orange saw that response and raised with a pair of runs in the bottom half off the inning – and did it with some patience at the plate.

AJ Toulouse, Braden Meyer and Spencer Wambeke all drew walks to load the bases with no outs before a fielder’s choice play and an error on Chase Douglas’ at-bat brought in two runs to give Marshall Orange the lead back at 3-1.

Sioux Falls wouldn’t go away, however, getting an error, a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to one. The Cyclones continued to find ways to produce runs in the fourth, using a hit batter, a walk and an error to plate two runs and take a 4-3 lead.

Once again, Marshall Orange had an answer in the bottom half of the frame, as Wambeke connected on a one-out double before stealing third to put the tying run just 90 feet away. Douglas then stepped up and delivered, smacking an RBI single to tie things up at 4-4 after four innings of play.

After Sioux Falls went down in order in the top of the fifth, Marshall Orange added to its offense in the bottom half. Jacob Hughes got aboard on a one-out single before advancing to second on a wild pitch. After Brock Schultz connected on a single, Toulouse gave Marshall the lead back thanks to a sacrifice fly.

Going into the final inning, the Cyclones had a chance to tie things up and did just that, using a walk, sacrifice and an infield single to plate a run and make it 5-5. But just like it had all game long, Marshall Orange had an answer.

After Wambeke drew a leadoff walk, Douglas was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second with no outs. Baker then drew a walk to load the bases and, after a strikeout, Felcyn came up to the plate and lined a single through the left side for the walk-off hit and game-winning RBI to propel Marshall Orange to a 6-5 victory in the opener.

Felcyn led the way for Marshall in Game 1 with a 2 for 4 day at the plate with an RBI while Douglas added a hit and two RBI and Toulouse also had an RBI.

Marshall coach Thomas Fischer said he was pleased with his team’s approach at the plate and their ability to be patient for the pitch they want.

“We’ve been talking all year about our batting mentality at the plate and making sure we’re focusing on the at-bat before us,” Fischer said. “If the guy before you walked on four pitches, you’re waiting for a strike and we did a good job of that. Our players are starting to learn those little things that are going to make us a better team.”

Baker earned the complete-game victory, going all six innings while allowing five runs on just two hits and striking out four.

The nightcap saw more tight play to start, but a four-run fifth inning from Sioux Falls was the difference maker, as the Cyclones took the second game to salvage the split.

Just like it did in the opener, Marshall Orange jumped on the scoreboard first, as Douglas led off with a double to left field before advancing to third on a sacrifice. Douglas then got Marshall on the board on a wild pitch to make it 1-0 after one inning of play.

Marshall Orange added to its lead in the next inning, as Toulouse drew a one-out walk before Meyer drew a walk and Zach Allen was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Bensen Kuecker was then hit by another pitch to bring in a run and make it 2-0.

Sioux Falls had an answer, though, getting a pair of baserunners aboard with a walk and an infield single before a wild pitch put them in scoring position. The Cyclones then got on the board thanks to an RBI sacrifice fly and a wild pitch to tie things up at 2-2.

Sioux Falls looked to break the tie in the top of the fourth and capitalized, using a hit by pitch, single and a walk to load the bases with no outs. The Cyclones brought in a run on a sacrifice fly, but that’s all they got in the frame as Sioux Falls took a 3-2 lead.

After Marshall Orange went down in order, Sioux Falls strung together some insurance runs in the fifth. The Cyclones used a pair of doubles and back-to-back singles to plate two runs and make it 5-2. Sioux Falls wasn’t finished, however, using a couple of RBI base hits to push its lead to 7-2.

Marshall Orange put together a small rally in the bottom of the sixth when Bryce Lance reached on an infield single with one out, but Sioux Falls got two quick outs to earn the win.

Douglas, Lance and Felcyn led the way for Marshall Orange in Game 2 with a hit apiece while Kuecker picked up the lone RBI.

Hughes took the loss on the mound, going 2.2 innings in relief while allowing five runs on seven hits and striking out one.

Fischer said he knew the Cyclones were going to present some challenges and felt they did a good job of responding to those them.

“We knew coming in that Sioux Falls was a really good team, so we were trying to get our guys ready for that,” Fischer said. “In Game 1, we just tried to scrap up as many runs as we could, just doing the little things like playing small ball and bunting around. We made the plays we had to make in Game 1 to get the win. In Game 2, we just had that inning where we gave up four runs and that was a little too tough to come back from.”

Fischer added he felt they did a good job on the mound in both games, especially from Baker’s performance in the opener.

“Josh pitched extremely well in Game 1 and did more than enough to give us a chance to win. We had a couple of times where the game almost slipped away but we ended up winning,” Fischer said. “Josh did a good job of attacking the zone and mixing his off-speed pitches really well, probably the best we’ve seen him do that this year. That was really good to see, especially against a really good hitting team. Game 2 we pitched pretty well, we just need to do a better job of throwing strikes and not giving up free bases.”

Marshall Orange will face Luverne today at 6 p.m. Fischer said their biggest takeaway will be making enough plays in the field and the rest will follow.

“We know that we can play well with good teams, and we should have good confidence going into the next game,” Fischer said. “We just have to make the plays in the field and we know that our bats will come alive.”

Game 1

Marshall Orange 6, Sioux Falls 5 (6 innings)

Sioux Falls 011 201 – 5 2 1

Marshall 120 111 – 6 7 3

Hitting: Marshall (Douglas 1-3, 2 RBI; Baker 1-2; Felcyn 2-4, RBI; Jacob Hughes 1-2; Schultz 1-3; Toulouse 0-1, RBI; Wambeke 1-1).

Pitching (IP-R-ER-H-BB-SO): Marshall (Baker 6-5-1-2-3-4).

Game 2

Sioux Falls 7, Marshall Orange 2 (6 innings)

Sioux Falls 002 140 – 7 9 0

Marshall 110 000 – 2 3 2

Hitting: Marshall (Douglas 1-3; Lance 1-3; Felcyn 1-3; Kuecker RBI).

Pitching (IP-R-ER-H-BB-SO): Marshall (Pearcy 2.2-2-1-2-3-2; Jacob Hughes 2-5-5-7-1-2; Bouwman 1-0-0-0-0-1).