Photo by Sam Thiel Marshall’s Parker Schmitt winds up a pitch during game one of their doubleheader against New Ulm Gold on Tuesday. Marshall Black won game one 19-6 in five innings before taking game two 12-1 in five innings.

MARSHALL — A couple of days after the holiday weekend, the fireworks were still on display at Legion Field, but it was provided by the offense of the Marshall Black Junior Legion baseball team. Facing New Ulm Junior Legion Gold, Marshall Black found scoring in every inning – including a 10-run third – to highlight a 19-6 victory in five innings in game one of its doubleheader Tuesday. Then in game two, Marshall trailed 1-0 before scoring 12 runs in one inning to win 12-1 in five innings and earn the doubleheader sweep.

Marshall Black 19, New Ulm Gold 6

(5 innings)

In the opener, Marshall Black jumped out to a strong start, as Zach Leibfried reached on an infield single before Tyler Maeyaert connected on a single and Andrew Wallen brought in a run on a sacrifice fly to make it 1-0. Marshall then got RBI singles by Ezra Maurice and Lincoln Graven to push its lead to 3-0 after one.

New Ulm Gold answered back, though, using a pair of one-out singles and a hit batter to load the bases in the next half-inning before a fielder’s choice and a wild pitch plated two runs to make it a one-run game. Marshall would have a timely response in the bottom of the frame, with Ashton Rowe drawing a walk and Leibfried connecting on a single before Maeyaert got aboard on a walk to load the bases. One batter later, Wallen smacked a two-run single before a wild pitch brought in another run to make it 6-2.

New Ulm kept battling, and got a pair of baserunners aboard in the top of the third before an RBI double and an RBI groundout brought them to within two. But that was the closest New Ulm got the rest of the way, as Marshall batted around the order in the bottom half of the third. Graven got things started with a double before a walk from Coby Brownlee, an error and a wild pitch plated two runs to make it 8-5.

Marshall wasn’t done there, as Leibfried drew a walk of his own before a wild pitch scored a run and Maeyaert smacked a two-run double to push the advantage to 11-5. RBI base hits by Wallen, Maurice and Graven added three more runs before another wild pitch and an RBI groundout by Brownlee made it 16-5 after three.

In the fourth, Rowe got hit by a pitch to lead off the inning for Marshall before consecutive walks by Maeyaert and Wallen loaded the bases, only to be cleared on the ensuing at-bat on a double by Maurice to push the lead to 19-5. New Ulm Gold would load the bases in the top of the fifth and plate a run on an RBI single, but Marshall would get out of the jam with a groundout to earn the victory.

Maurice led Marshall with three hits and five RBI while Wallen added two hits and four RBI, Graven had three hits and two RBI, Maeyaert had two hits and two RBI, Leibfried had two hits, Parker Schmitt added a hit and Brownlee had an RBI.

Schmitt earned the victory on the mound, going 4 1/3 innings while allowing six runs on four hits and struck out three.

Marshall Black 12, New Ulm Gold 1

(5 innings)

Both sides couldn’t find scoring right away, but New Ulm Gold was able to strike first in the top of the third on a wild pitch to take a 1-0 lead. Then in the bottom of the fourth, Marshall’s offense came alive.

Leibfried and Maeyaert got things started with back-to-back singles before a double steal and an RBI double by Wallen put Marshall in front at 2-1. After Maurice connected on a single and Talan Plante drew a walk, a wild pitch brought in a run before Brownlee smacked a two-run single to make it 5-1.

Marshall wasn’t done there, however, as Schmitt reached on an error to score a run before consecutive RBI singles by Rowe and Gavin Peterson and a fielder’s choice by Leibfried pushed it to 9-1. Peterson then scored on an error before Maeyaert lined an RBI triple and Plante recorded an RBI groundout to bring it to the 12-1 final.

Brownlee led Marshall with two hits and two RBI while Maeyaert added two hits and an RBI and Leibfried, Wallen, Rowe and Peterson each had a hit and an RBI.

Plante earned the victory on the mound, going five innings while allowing one run on six hits and struck out four.

Up next

Marshall Black (16-3) will face Slayton on the road on Thursday at 6 p.m.