Photo by Sam Thiel Marshall 17U Black’s Andrew Cowden scores a run during their game against Omaha Westside on Saturday. Marshall 17U Black defeated Omaha Westside 4-2 and Gretna 8-5 on Saturday before falling to Brandon Valley (S.D.) 15-12 on Sunday.

MARSHALL — The warmer the temperature got, so did the play of the Marshall Junior Legion Black 17U baseball team.

After opening their home tournament on Friday with a 10-0 win against Hutchinson Black, Marshall used a strong inning to earn back-to-back, come-from-behind victories against Omaha Westside and Gretna to advance to the championship game. Then in Sunday’s championship game against Brandon Valley (S.D.), Marshall’s resilience was tested again. But two rally attempts by Marshall just fell short as they dropped a high-scoring 15-12 game to earn second place in the tournament.

Marshall coach Chace Pollock said despite the final outcome, he was pleased with how they continued to battle and had a chance to win the tournament at the end.

“It was fun. It was fun to play baseball and just show up to the ballpark not knowing what could happen and we end up playing in the championship game,” Pollock said. “We were right there with a chance to win it, bases loaded and two outs in the last inning, we just couldn’t get the key hit. But I’m proud of the team and the guys, it’s a fun group.”

Brandon Valley 15,

Marshall 12

Marshall had their backs against the wall early against Brandon Valley, as BV loaded the bases, but Marshall starter Drew Parsons was able to limit the damage to just a run. After a scoreless second, Brandon Valley got on the board again in the next frame, using a pair of singles and a walk to make it 2-0. BV wasn’t done there, though, loading the bases with no outs before a couple of two-run singles and an RBI double pushed their lead to 7-0. Brandon Valley then got an RBI single and a sacrifice fly to make it 9-0 after three innings.

Despite the deficit, Marshall continued to battle, as Coby Brownlee drew a walk before Braxton Koster connected on an RBI single. Collin Klenken and Karson Rowe then reached on errors to plate a pair of runs before Andrew Cowden and Braeden Myhre smacked RBI singles to trim the deficit to 9-5. Marshall kept attacking, with Brownlee reaching on an error that brought in two more runs to make it 9-7 after four.

Brandon Valley had a response, however, loading the bases before a two-run double and an error plated another run to make it 12-7. After a single loaded the bases again, a two-run single would extend their lead to 14-7.

Marshall would answer with a run in both the bottom of the fifth and sixth to draw the deficit to 14-9, but Brandon Valley got a run back in the top of the seventh to push its lead to 15-9. In need of one final rally, Marshall had a strong opportunity when Cowden reached on an error, Ashton Blomberg got hit by a pitch and Myhre drew a walk to load the bases with no outs. Jude Knudson then reached on an error to bring in two runs before Koster connected on a single and Klenken got an RBI groundout to make it 15-12, but Marshall couldn’t get any closer.

Brownlee led Marshall with two hits and two RBIs while Koster, Cowden and Blomberg each had two hits and an RBI and Knudson and Myhre each had a hit and combined for three RBIs.

Parsons took the loss on the mound, going two innings while allowing nine runs on six hits and struck out two.

Saturday

Marshall 4,

Omaha Westside 2

In their first game of the day against Omaha Westside, it was back and forth to start, with neither team finding scoring the first couple of frames. In the top of the third, Omaha Westside got on the board first, using an infield single, a sacrifice and an error to take a 1-0 lead. Marshall would have a response, though, as Koster and Klenken drew walks and Carter Kepler reached on an infield single to load the bases with no outs before Cowden drew a walk to plate a run. Marshall wouldn’t be done there, with Rowe connecting on an RBI single before they added two more runs to take a 4-1 advantage after four.

Omaha Westside answered right back, however, using a walk and an error to trim the deficit to 4-2. Then in the seventh, they had a pair of baserunners in scoring position with one out, but Koster was able to escape the jam with a strikeout and a groundout to seal the win.

Parsons led Marshall with two hits while Rowe added a hit and an RBI and Cowden and Myhre each had an RBI.

Koster earned the win on the mound, going seven innings while allowing two runs on five hits and struck out three.

Marshall 8, Gretna 5

After getting past Omaha Westside, Marshall took on Gretna. Gretna would get out to a quick start, loading the bases before a wild pitch and a walk brought in two runs to make it 2-0 after one. It would stay that way until the bottom half of the third, as Myhre reached on an infield single and Brownlee drew a walk before Klenken connected on a two-run single to tie things up at 2-2 after three.

Marshall continued to attack in the next frame. Cowden and Rowe drew walks before Parsons plated a run on an RBI single. Marshall then loaded the bases before Knudson and Brownlee drew a walk and got hit by a pitch, respectively, to bring in two more runs to make it 5-2. Marshall wasn’t done there, as Koster recorded a sacrifice fly and Klenken smacked an RBI single before a wild pitch pushed the lead to 8-2 after four.

Gretna would have a response, though, using a walk, single, RBI groundout and a wild pitch to trim the deficit to 8-4. They would then get another run in the top of the sixth to draw to within three but that was the closest they got, as Marshall held on for the 8-5 win.

Klenken led Marshall with two hits and three RBIs while Myhre added two hits and Brownlee, Koster and Parsons each had a hit and an RBI.

Blomberg earned the win on the mound, going six innings while allowing five runs on seven hits and struck out two.

Up next

Marshall (7-1) will face Worthington at home on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Going into their next matchup, Pollock said they need to continue their momentum after earning Top 2 finishes in their last two tournaments.

“We finished second in this tournament and first place in the last tournament we were in, so we’ve had two really good showings this year,” Pollock said. “I’m excited to see what the future holds.”

Saturday

Marshall 4, Omaha Westside 2

Omaha Westside 001 010 0 – 2 5 1

Marshall 000 400 X – 4 3 0

Hitting: Marshall (Parsons 2-3; Rowe 1-3, RBI; Myhre, Cowden RBI).

Pitching (IP-R-ER-H-BB-SO): Marshall (Koster 7-2-1-5-3-3).

Marshall 8, Gretna 5

Gretna 200 021 0 – 5 7 0

Marshall 002 600 X – 8 7 3

Hitting: Marshall (Myhre 2-3; Knudson RBI; Brownlee 1-2, RBI; Koster 1-4, RBI; Klenken 2-2, 3 RBI; Parsons 1-4, RBI).

Pitching (IP-R-ER-H-BB-SO): Marshall (Blomberg 6-5-2-7-7-2).

Sunday

Brandon Valley (S.D.) 15,

Marshall 12

Brandon Valley 108 050 1 – 15 12 5

Marshall 000 711 3 – 12 10 2

Hitting: Marshall (Myhre 1-4, RBI; Knudson 1-5, 2 RBI; Brownlee 2-4, 2 RBI; Koster 2-5, RBI; Klenken RBI: Cowden 2-4, RBI; Blomberg 2-2, RBI).

Pitching (IP-R-ER-H-BB-SO): Marshall (Parsons 2-9-9-6-6-2; Myhre 4-5-2-4-2-4; Haas 1-1-1-2-2).