Photo by Jake McNeill Marshall pitcher Liam Kruse prepares to take a swing during the sixth inning of a baseball game against Hutchinson at Legion Field in Marshall on Monday. Marshall defeated Hutchinson 1-0.

MARSHALL — For the second game in a row, the Marshall baseball team held on for a win in a pitchers’ duel. The Tigers found home early for the first and only run of the game and held on for a 1-0 victory over the Hutchinson Tigers.

Marshall scored the first and only run of the game in the first inning. Talan Plante hit a leadoff single to center field in the bottom of the frame to put the Tigers on base. Braden Myhre was called in as a courtesy runner and was thrown out trying to steal a second, but Marshall kept rallying. Coby Brownlee drew a walk, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch.

With the tying run 90 feet from the plate, Josh Kraft crushed a fly ball to deep center field. The ball was caught but Brownlee had more than enough time to capitalize on the sacrifice fly for the go-ahead run.

The run would be the only run for either team in the game, marking the second consecutive home game the hometown Tigers have won 1-0. The Tigers were held to one hit in their last game and finished Monday’s matchup with a total of two. Marshall head coach Chace Pollock attributed the early offensive shortcomings to quality competition and the fact that his team hasn’t seen much live pitching this early in the season.

“Look at our opponents. I mean, it’s early on and the pitchers are going to have an advantage here,” Pollock said. “The more we see live pitching and we get outside, the more comfortable and the better we’re going to be. I’m not too worried about it. Like I said, I think everybody’s kind of in the same boat.”

In Marshall’s last game, Kraft and Karson Rowe combined for a no-hitter. While the Tigers didn’t hold the Hutchinson Tigers hitless this time around, Liam Kruse had another masterful performance in his start for Marshall.

Monday was Kruse’s second start of the year after allowing one earned run over four innings against Luverne on April 9. He shut the Hutchinson Tigers out over 5 2/3 innings this time around, allowing just three hits and five walks during his time on the mound. He also struck out six batters.

Kruse attributed his success on the mound on Monday to his trust in his defense and his ability to analyze his game in real time, saying that he’d make little tweaks and adjustments when necessary throughout the game.

“He had good overpowering stuff today. I was happy with the way he’s progressed, he threw in Luverne and he worked out some of the kinks when he came out today,” Pollock said. “He threw really well and if he throws like that, we’re going to be alright…. He’s worked really hard and he’s a great kid, he’s earned that opportunity to have a good game.”

Hutchinson started the first inning with Carter Curth drawing a leadoff walk on five pitches. A throwing error on a pickoff attempt allowed Kurth to advance to second but right fielder Ashton Blomberg recovered the errant throw and threw the ball on a rope to third base to hold the runner at second.

Kruse locked in from there, inducing a groundout, catching a batter looking for a strikeout and inducing a pop out to end the inning with Kurth stranded on third.

Hutchinson put together a scoring opportunity in the top of the fifth with consecutive singles to start the inning. A passed ball advanced the runners to second and third but, after a mound visit, Kruse locked in. He forced a groundout, with Kraft fielding the ball, holding the runner at third and getting the out t first.

Another ground ball went right to Kraft on the next play. Instead of getting the out at first, he threw the ball home. The Tigers caught the runner in a pickle before tagging him out at third. A strikeout in the next at-bat ended the inning with Marshall still on top.

When facing jams like that, Kruse said his primary focus was just on inducing ground balls.

In the sixth inning, A single, a walk, and a wild pitch put runners on the corners with two outs. With Kruse over 100 pitches on the day after the walk, Marshall brought in Braxton Koster to the mound. He came up with a six-pitch strikeout to end the inning. He also retired the side in order in the top of the seventh to end the game.

Andrew Stelter continued to shine in his first varsity season at shortstop for the Tigers on Monday, making a series of great throws and defensive reactions to keep Marshall strong at one of the most important defensive positions.

“Defensively, he’s as good as a shortstop as we’re going to have,” Pollock said, adding that there’s some acclimation to the varsity level but that Stelter is a good hitter and that part of his game will eventually come around. “All of our guys in the infield, I feel comfortable with throwing five guys out there and feeling really good about it. We’ll just keep working and keep getting better.”

Plante singled twice in the game to account for both of Marshall’s hits while Brownlee and Kruse each reached base twice on walks. Marshall is still yet to get an extra-base hit at home this season.

Marshall improves to 3-0 with the win and will go on the road to face Worthington today at 5:30 p.m.