Photo by Sam Thiel Marshall’s Chase Douglas smiles after scoring a run during their Section 2AAA game against Waconia on Wednesday at Legion Field. Marshall defeated Waconia 11-3.

MARSHALL — The Marshall and Waconia baseball teams had only a few days separating their last meeting from Wednesday’s Section 2AAA opener, but it was enough for third-seeded Marshall to continue its momentum after Friday’s doubleheader split. Thanks to a strong start by Josh Baker and a key fourth inning, MHS kept sixth-seeded Waconia in check en route to a 11-3 victory at Legion Field.

Marshall coach Chace Pollock said they knew what they were going to see from Waconia after Friday’s games and was proud of the way his team responded the entire game.

“It was odd to play a team in a doubleheader and then come back and play them in the first round of playoffs but we knew each other pretty well based on that doubleheader,” Pollock said. “I’m proud of the guys; up-and-down the lineup and on the mound, we competed every pitch and I’m happy for them.”

It was a pitcher’s duel to start, as Baker and Waconia’s starter both allowed just one hit through the first two and a half innings. The scoreboard remained empty until the bottom of the third when Jacob Hughes reached on an infield single and Chase Douglas reached on an error before Baker brought in a run on a groundout to give Marshall a 1-0 lead after three.

Despite holding onto the lead, Marshall’s offense was in need of a spark and it didn’t take MHS very long to break open the floodgates at the plate. Cole Felcyn got the bottom half of the fourth started with an infield single before Brock Schultz connected on a single and both runners were advanced on a sacrifice by Charlie Jacobson. After Jack Bly drew a walk to load the bases with one out, Hughes plated two runs on a single to make it 3-0. Marshall then loaded the bases again a couple of batters later, only to have Baker clear them with one swing, smashing a double to score three more runs. Marshall wasn’t done there, though, as Connor Neubeck smacked an RBI triple on the next at-bat to push the advantage to 7-0.

“We grinded out some at-bats and made their pitcher work and then Josh came up with the bases loaded and cashed in and hit that ball hard,” Pollock said on the key inning. “It was a lot of fun to see and that was a good pitcher and we made him work. That’s what playoffs are all about.”

Waconia wouldn’t go down without a fight, however, and used a couple of hit batters and a wild pitch to get on the board on an RBI groundout before an RBI single made it 7-2. The Wildcats then got another run across on a bases-loaded walk but Bly was able to get Marshall out of the jam with a flyout to limit the damage.

In the bottom of the sixth, Marshall answered right back when Mitchell Bouwman drew a leadoff walk and Baker connected on a single before Felcyn plated a run on an RBI single. MHS wasn’t done there, as consecutive walks by Seth Radtke and Jacobson made it 9-3 before Bly got hit by a pitch to plate another run. Hughes then drew another walk to bring it to the 11-3 final.

Baker led Marshall with two hits and four RBI while Hughes added two hits and three RBI, Douglas had two hits and Neubeck and Felcyn each had a hit and an RBI.

Baker earned the victory on the mound, going 4 1/3 innings while allowing three runs on just two hits and struck out four. Bouwman, Bly and Felcyn combined to throw 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief and combined to strike out three.

Up next

Marshall (13-6) advances to the winner’s bracket of the Section 2AAA tournament and will face second-seeded New Ulm on Saturday at 11 a.m. in New Ulm. Pollock said they need to keep their momentum going against a familiar face in New Ulm.

“We’re off on the right foot here and that’s a benefit so we need to keep it going and it sounds like we’ll play a familiar foe in New Ulm in the next round,” Pollock said.

Marshall 11, Waconia 3

Waconia 000 030 0 – 3 2 1

Marshall 001 604 x – 11 9 1

Hitting: Marshall (Douglas 2-3; Baker 2-4, 4 RBI; Neubeck 1-4, RBI; Felcyn 1-4, RBI; Schultz 1-2; Jacobson RBI; Bly RBI; Hughes 2-3, 3 RBI).

Pitching (IP-R-ER-H-BB-SO): Marshall (Baker 4.1-3-3-2-1-4; Bouwman 0.1-0-0-0-2-0; Bly 1.1-0-0-0-2-1; Felcyn 1-0-0-0-0-2).