Photos by Jake McNeill: Marshall utility man Owen Kesteloot (facing camera) is mobbed by his teammates at first base after hitting a walk-off two-run single in the A’s 3-2 win over Hadley at American Legion Field on Wednesday night.

MARSHALL — Owen Kesteloot, just finishing off his junior year at Marshall High School, came up big for the Marshall A’s in their home matchup against Hadley on Wednesday night. With the A’s trailing in the final frame, the third baseman came up with a walk-off single to send home fans happy with a 3-2 victory.

“I just wanted to get the ball in play and let my base runners do what they do,” Kesteloot said of his first walk-off hit. “It’s pretty crazy. There are a lot of college players, it’s pretty crazy. They make me hyped up.”

The Buttermakers led 2-1 heading into the final inning of play when Ashton Blomberg reached base on a ground ball error to put the go-ahead run at the plate. A failed pickoff attempt that made its way into the outfield allowed Blomberg to sprint all the way to third before a walk to Liam Kruse and Coby Brownlee getting hit by a pitch loaded the bases with no outs.

“The pitching and defense was good for the first eight innings and then not too bad the last inning,” Hadley manager Myron Bennett said. “We had that error at the end there and that kind of put the guy on and then we had the missed play on the pickoff play and he ended up on third. Then you’re kind of just hoping you can get a few strikeouts there. It didn’t happen today but it was a good game.”

From there, Kesteloot came up with the heroic effort, lining a pitch through the gap into left field for a two-run single to secure the Marshall win.

“I was ready to go,” Kesteloot said. “I took the first pitch and then I just sat on a fastball, decided to take it and I swung.”

Jake Eben was very effective in his start for the A’s. The Marshall pitcher got his first career start against Hadley last year in a 7-5 win, limiting the Buttermakers to two hits on the day. He was on again in Wednesday’s rematch, holding the visitors scoreless with four hits, a walk and four strikeouts over seven frames. 

“It was just great defense behind me,” Eben said with a laugh after the win. “I think I had three or four strikeouts, so they were putting the ball in play, but the guys behind me were making plays all day.”

One play in particular that Eben referenced was in the fifth inning when Skyler Feikema reached on an error and Alex Peterson walked to put runners on first and second. Marshall retired each of the next two batters on fly outs before Derek Kluis hit a single into the outfield. Feikema tried to score on the play but Zach Olsen showed off the arm, hitting Braxton Koster at third as the cutoff man and Koster gunned the ball to Talan Plante behind the plate, who applied the tag in time to save the out and keep the game scoreless.

Coby Brownlee was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the seventh, stole second and scored on a Peyton Grant RBI double to give Marshall the lead. Eben left the game in position for the win but the Buttermakers rallied in the eighth with their first runs of the game to force Eben into a no-decision.

With one out, Kluis singled and Brent Hokeness followed up with a double to put two runners in scoring position. A wild pitch sent Kluis home for the tying run and Jacob Olson followed up with an RBI single to give Hadley a 2-1 lead.

“I really did [think those would be the deciding runs],” Bennett said. “I thought our defense would continue to play like it had and we’d close it out, but that just didn’t happen.”

Abe Paulzine pitched seven innings for Hadley, limiting Marshall to one run on four hits and three walks. He also struck out seven batters on the day. In relief, Feikema allowed two runs — one of which was unearned — on one hit and a walk. He pitched the eighth and ninth innings, though he didn’t record an out in the ninth. 

Hokeness reached base in each of his four at-bats on the day, finishing with a pair of doubles and a single. Brownlee did the same for Marshall, singling and getting hit with four pitches.

After a hiccup to start the eighth, Karson Rowe was solid in relief for Marshall, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk over two frames.

Hadley had a scoring opportunity in the top of the fourth when Pruess singled, was replaced on first by Kluis after a fielder’s choice, and Hokeness reached on an error and Lincoln Graven got hit by a pitch for the second time on the day loaded the bases. Yet, Koster fielded a grounder at third base and stepped on the bag for the force out to end the inning fruitless for Hadley.

Marshall (8-2) will cross the western border for its next game, taking on Brookings, S.D. on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Hadley (6-4) will play the second of three consecutive road games on Sunday with a matchup at Heron Lake at 2 p.m.