Photo by Sam Thiel Marshall’s Peyton Grant fields a ground ball during their game against Raymond on Sunday. Marshall fell to Raymond 4-3.

MARSHALL — After opening its season with a 3-0 victory against Granite Falls on Friday, the Marshall amateur baseball team looked to keep things going in its home opener against Raymond. Despite trailing early, Marshall kept fighting, but the late rally attempt came up just short as Raymond earned a 4-3 victory on Sunday at Legion Field.

Despite the final outcome, Marshall manager Ryan Schwagel said he was pleased with their overall effort throughout the game.

“Raymond’s a good team and that was a great performance on our end,” Schwagel said. “We were right in there, with a runner in scoring position where we needed to be and we just needed one more hit. That’s the way it seemed to go all day, but it’s a good performance early in the year.”

Raymond got out to a quick start, using a trio of hits to plate two runs in the top half of the first before Marshall answered with a single from Peyton Grant, a walk from Joe Rock and an RBI groundout by Mason Schnaible to make it 2-1 after one. Both teams’ starters then settled into a groove the next couple of frames, with neither side finding scoring.

Raymond would get back on the board in the top of the fourth, getting a pair of doubles and an RBI single to push its advantage to 4-1. Marshall would have an answer, though, as Rock smacked a solo home run to trim the deficit to 4-2 after five.

Marshall kept battling, and after a couple of scoreless innings, got a single from Rock before Zach Olsen connected on a single and Schwagel reached on an error to bring in a run and make it a one-run game at 4-3 after eight innings.

After Raymond couldn’t take advantage of a leadoff single in the top half of the ninth, Marshall had a strong opportunity to force extra innings when Logan Tomasek connected on a leadoff double. But that was the closest Marshall got, as Raymond got three straight outs to seal the win.

No final stats were available at press time.

Up next

Marshall (1-1) will continue its homestand on Friday, facing the Milroy Yankees at 7:30 p.m. Going into their next matchup, Schwagel said they just need to keep battling as a team and maintain consistency with their offense and defense.

“We’re always in it,” Schwagel said. “These guys are a good team, probably a top three team in the region and we just have to keep battling and keep getting our swings and play good defense and we’ll be alright.”