Photo by Jake McNeill: Marshall Junior Legion Black shortstop Andrew Stelter fields a chopper and throws it to first for an out during a District II Tournament first-round matchup against Hutchinson on Tuesday morning at American Legion Field in Marshall. Hutchinson defeated Marshall 7-2 to knock Marshall down to the elimination bracket.

MARSHALL — Despite being consistently excellent on defense this season, the No. 4 Marshall Junior Legion Black baseball team faltered in the first round of the District II tournament against Hutchinson on Tuesday night. Marshall committed five errors in the game and, as a result, fell 7-2 to fifth-seeded Hutchinson.

A walk and a single in the first inning gave Hutchinson the go-ahead run and they never trailed from there, adding two runs in the third inning and another pair in the fourth to make the score 5-1. Marshall was never able to meaningfully cut into the deficit.

Trailing 3-0 heading into the bottom of the third, Marshall found its rhythm at the plate. Eli Weedman started the inning with a double, Chase Alcorn walked and Shep Jensen was hit by a pitch to load up the bases with no outs. Weedman scored on a Stelter grounder to short, but Hutchinson turned the double play to put two down and a fly out to short in the next at-bat gave Marshall just one run out of the rally.

Marshall also loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth, with Tyson Louwagie getting hit by a pitch and Carson Kopitski and Weedman walking with two outs. Yet, a fly out ended the inning with Marshall coming up fruitless.

Logan Phillippe got the start for Marshall, surrendering three earned runs and another pair of unearned over four innings. He struck out three while giving up a pair of walks and five hits in the loss.

Tyson Louwagie pitched three innings of relief, allowing a pair of unearned runs on four hits. He didn’t record a strikeout or a walk.

In the bottom of the sixth, Marshall got back on the scoreboard. JR Vierstraete was hit by a pitch in the frame’s leadoff at-bat and then stole his way to second.

Leyton Wherry then lined out to shallow center and Hutchinson attempted to double up by beating Vierstraete back to second. Yet, an errant throw allowed him to advance to third. From there, Carson Kopitski smashed a pitch back toward the warning track in right-center field for an RBI double, cutting the deficit to 6-2.

Hutchinson outhit Marshall 9-3 in the game. Alcorn, Kopitski and Weedman each had a hit for Marshall, including a double each for Kopitski and Weedman. Weedman also walked twice, matching Hutchinson’s team total.

Hunter Lien held Marshall to two earned runs in six innings on the mound for Hutchinson. He struck out five batters while allowing five walks and three hits. Hayden Welsch got the save after pitching a perfect seventh inning.

Hutchinson added one last insurance run in the seventh inning, courtesy of another Marshall error.

Marshall falls to 10-11 with the season with the loss and will play again in the elimination bracket on Wednesday at 11 a.m. The game will also be held at Legion Field.