Photo by Sam Thiel Marshall’s Zach Olsen connects for a base hit during their game against Wabasso on Wednesday. Marshall defeated Wabasso 4-2.

MARSHALL — The Marshall and Wabasso amateur baseball teams looked to start their playoffs in strong fashion in the opening round of the Corn Belt League tournament on Wednesday. It took a couple of innings for each team to warm up, but Marshall used a three-run third before holding off a late Wabasso rally to earn a 4-2 victory at Legion Field.

It was a pitcher’s duel to start, with Marshall’s Mason Penske and Wabasso’s Devan Liebl settling into their respective zones early. Neither team could capitalize with baserunners in their first couple of at-bats, but Marshall found some momentum in the bottom of the third. After Doug Mead drew a one-out walk, Penske lined an RBI double to get them on the board. Marshall wasn’t done there, as Joe Rock reached on an error to plate a run before Ryan Schwagel connected on an RBI double to push their advantage to 3-0 after three.

Wabasso wouldn’t go down without a fight, though, with Caleb Frericks reaching on an error before Colby Wall connected on an RBI single to make it 3-1 in the top of the fifth. They had an opportunity to add to their total in the next trip to the plate after a single by Kyle Lechner and a double from Sam Guetter put runners in scoring position with one out, but Penske got out of the jam with back-to-back strikeouts.

Marshall then had an answer on offense, as Jordan Mernaugh led off the bottom of the sixth with a double before coming around to score on an RBI groundout by Matt Hmielewski to make it 4-1. Wabasso bounced back with a run in the next half-inning, using a trio of hits by Cole Frericks, Wall and Josh Guetter before an error led to a run.

After a scoreless eighth, Wabasso still found itself trailing by two runs going into the top of the ninth. In need of a spark, they got a good start when Caleb Frericks reached on an error and Cole Frericks connected on a single to put runners on the corners with no outs. Two quick outs put runners in scoring position, but a flyout ended the scoring threat for Wabasso and sealed the win for Marshall.

Rock and Olsen led Marshall with two hits each while Schwagel had a hit and an RBI and Mernaugh and Mead each had a hit.

Penske earned the victory on the mound, going nine innings while allowing two runs on nine hits and struck out eight.

Wall led Wabasso with two hits and an RBI while Sam Guetter and Cole Frericks each had two hits and Josh Guetter, Lechner and Caleb Frericks each had a hit.

Liebl took the loss on the mound, going eight innings while allowing four runs on nine hits and struck out nine.

Up next

Marshall will face Sacred Heart at home on Friday at 7:30 p.m. while Wabasso will face Granite Falls on the road on Friday at 7:30 p.m.