Photo by Sam Thiel Marshall’s Jacob Hughes rounds second base on his way to third for a triple during their doubleheader against Waconia on Friday. Marshall fell to Waconia 5-3 in game one before taking game two 6-1.

MARSHALL — The Marshall baseball team looked to gain some momentum going into the postseason during its regular-season finale on Friday. Their opponent, Waconia, had other ideas and earned a 5-3 victory in game one, but Marshall had a strong response and took game two 6-1 to split the doubleheader at Legion Field.

Marshall coach Chace Pollock said he felt they did a good job of answering the call in the second game after coming up short in the opener despite outhitting the Wildcats.

“It was good. That second game was a lot better than the first, but the first ballgame we outhit them 10-4 and got beat 5-3 and that left a sour taste in our mind,” Pollock said. “The second game we did a nice job of battling back and coming ready to play.”

Waconia 5,

Marshall 3 (Game 1)

Waconia jumped out to an early lead, using a hit batter and a walk to put a pair of baserunners aboard before a run scored on a pickoff to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead. After a scoreless second, Waconia added to its lead in the third on a couple of walks and a fielder’s choice to make it 2-0, but Marshall was right there to answer. Jacob Hughes led off the bottom of the frame with a triple before coming around to score on an RBI double by Connor Neubeck to draw MHS to within one at 2-1 after three.

Both sides couldn’t capitalize in the fourth, but the Wildcats picked the offense back up in the next frame, getting a pair of baserunners on before a couple of sacrifices brought in two more runs to push Waconia’s lead to 4-1. The Wildcats then added another run in the top of the sixth, but Marshall continued to battle.

In need of a spark, Marshall got a good start to the bottom of the sixth when Neubeck and Cole Felcyn connected on back-to-back doubles to plate a run before Brock Schultz reached on a single and a groundout scored another run to make it 5-3. MHS then had another rally in the bottom of the seventh, as Jacob Hughes reached on a single and Chase Douglas and Neubeck drew walks to load the bases with two outs, but Waconia was able to get a fielder’s choice to end the game and seal the 5-3 win.

Neubeck led Marshall with three hits and an RBI while Schultz and Hughes each had two hits and Felcyn had a hit and an RBI.

Charlie Jacobson took the loss on the mound, going 4 1/3 innings while allowing four runs on one hit and struck out three. Mitchell Bouwman tossed the final 2 2/3 innings, giving up one run on two hits and struck out two.

Marshall 6,

Waconia 1

(Game 2)

In game two, it was Marshall who gained the lead to start, as Douglas reached on an error before coming around to score on a wild pitch. Josh Baker, Neubeck and Felcyn followed up with a single, a hit-by-pitch and a walk, respectively to load the bases with no outs before Schultz brought in a run on a sacrifice fly. A couple of batters later, Jack Bly smacked an RBI single to give Marshall a 3-0 lead after one.

Marshall added to its advantage a couple of innings later, with Bly drawing a two-out walk before AJ Toulouse reached on an error to bring in Bly. MHS wasn’t done there, though, as Hughes connected on an RBI single to make it 5-0 after three.

That lead was more than enough support for Marshall’s starter in Bly, who tossed six innings and allowed no runs on three hits and struck out nine. Jacob Eben threw the final inning.

Pollock said all of their pitchers did a good job of battling throughout the afternoon.

“Jack threw really well in that second game for us so that was good to see and Jacob came in and closed it down,” Pollock said. “In the first game, Charlie, it wasn’t his best stuff but he battled and Mitchell also did a nice job for us.”

The two teams later traded sacrifice flies to bring it to the 6-1 final.

Bly and Hughes led Marshall with two hits and an RBI each while Baker added two hits and Neubeck and Schultz each had an RBI.

Up next

Marshall ends its regular season with a 12-6 record and will find out its Section 2AAA opponent this weekend before starting play next week. Going into the postseason, Pollock said they need to be ready to go right from the start.

“It’s section baseball and it’s the best time of the year,” Pollock said. “We need to be ready to go come next Wednesday.”

Waconia 5, Marshall 3 (Game 1)

Waconia 101 021 0 – 5 4 1

Marshall 001 002 0 – 3 10 1

Hitting: Marshall (Neubeck 3H, RBI; Felcyn 1H, RBI; Hughes 2H; Schultz 2H; Douglas, Toulouse 1H).

Pitching (IP-R-ER-H-BB-SO): Marshall (Jacobson 4.1-4-2-1-7-3; Bouwman 2.2-1-0-2-1-2).

Marshall 6, Waconia 1 (Game 2)

Waconia 000 000 1 – 1 4 5

Marshall 302 001 x – 6 6 1

Hitting: Marshall (Baker 2H; Bly, Hughes 2H, RBI).

Pitching (IP-R-ER-H-BB-SO): Marshall (Bly 6-0-0-3-4-9; Eben 1-1-1-1-0-0).