BIRD ISLAND — Despite trailing by four runs through six innings, the Marshall A’s bats stepped up when it counted most during a Friday night Corn Belt League matchup against Bird Island. The A’s broke the Bullfrogs’ shutout bid with a pair of seventh-inning runs and surged ahead with five more in the eighth to claim the 7-4 win.

A Cody Wichmann single, a Talan Plante double and a Connor Neubeck intentional walk loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the eighth, with the A’s trailing 4-2. Ryan Schwagel hit a sacrifice fly to drive in one run, and Logan Tomasek came up with a two-run double with two outs to give Marshall a 5-4 lead.

While Marshall held a tentative lead after Tomasek’s hit, they weren’t done yet. Coby Brownlee and Andrew Cowden reached base on consecutive errors to load the bases again. AJ Toulouse and Owen Kesteloot then drew consecutive walks to force in a pair of runs and give Marshall a 7-4 lead.

In addition to coming up with the game-winning hit, Tomasek was overall Marshall’s top hitter on the night. He doubled twice for four RBIs. Cody Wichmann also had a double and a single while Plante and Neubeck each had a double and a walk. Still, Bird Island maintained a 9-7 edge in hits.

The two teams were locked in a scoreless tie for the first three innings before Bird Island’s offense clicked in the fourth. A single and a hit batter set the stage for Shawn Dollerschell’s RBI double. After Dylan Gass scored on a wild pitch, Zeke Walton hit a two-run homer to give Bird Island a 4-0 lead.

Jake Eben took over on the mound for Marshall after the home run and was effective for the A’s. He threw four shutout innings, limiting Bird Island to five hits and a walk with four strikeouts, to earn the win. Wichmann picked up the two-inning save in relief, holding the Bullfrogs without a hit.

Ashton Blomberg started on the mound for Marshall. He threw three shutout innings to start the day, but finished his outing with a statline of four earned runs allowed on four hits and two walks with six strikeouts.

Josh Kraft led off the seventh inning with a double and Schwagel walked before Tomasek hit a two-run double to put Marshall on the scoreboard and cut Bird Island’s lead in half.

Marshall improves to 10-4 on the year with the win and hosts the Milroy Yankees for its Hall of Fame Game on Sunday at 5 p.m. at Legion Field.

BOX SCORE

Batting

C. Wichmann: 2-4 (2B); O. Kesteloot: RBI, BB; T. Plante: 1-4 (2B), BB; C. Neubeck: 1-4 (2B), BB; J. Kraft: 1-5 (2B); R. Schwagel: 0-2, RBI, 2 BB; L. Tomasek: 2-5 (2 2B), 4 RBI; C. Brownlee: 0-3, BB; A. Toulouse: 0-3, BB, RBI.

Pitching

A. Blomberg: 3 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO; J. Eben: 4 IP, 5 H, BB, 4 SO; C. Wichmann: 2 IP, BB, SO

Raymond 10, Milroy 7

RAYMOND — Despite a high-hitting game and a trio of doubles, the Milroy Yankees fell short to the Raymond Rockets on the road Friday evening 10-7 in a Corn Belt League game.

Milroy recorded 13 hits and four errors, to Raymond’s 12 hits and two errors.

The Rockets opened the first inning with a pair of runs, and Milroy began to chip away midway through the game with two runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to take a 4-2 lead.

But, Raymond didn’t allow the Yankees’ edge to live long with two runs in both the sixth and seventh before capping off the night with a three-run eighth inning.

Branden Flock, Aaron Mathiowetz and Brock Schultz all hit a double during the game, with Schultz leading the team going 3 for 5 at the plate with a team-high three RBIs.

Jayden Reminger also recorded a pair of RBIs off his two hits.

Flock, David Schmidt and Mathiowetz also finished the night with two hits apiece.

Pitching-wise, Mathiowetz spent most the night on the mound with six innings. He finished with one strikeout while allowing nine hits, three earned runs and three walks.

Logan Philippe stepped in as relief the final two innings, and tossed two strikeouts with three hits, four earned runs and four walks.

Raymond also had two batters hit a double, along with a single home run from Tyler Steen.

Milroy will remain on the road and will travel to take on the Marshall A’s at Legion Field in another league matchup on Sunday with a 5 p.m. first pitch.

JUNIOR LEGION BASEBALL

Minneota 10, RCW 0 (5 inn.)

MINNEOTA — Kaden Christensen and Creed Stassen pitched a combined shutout for the Minneota Junior Legion baseball team on Friday, helping the Vultures claim a 10-0 win in five innings over Renville County West.

Christensen pitched the game’s first four innings, holding RCW to three hits and a walk while striking out five batters. Stassen did not allow a baserunner in his inning of relief, striking out one of the three batters he faced.

Landon Pohlen scored the game’s first run in the bottom of the first, reaching base on a single and scoring when Stassen reached on an outfield error with two outs. Yet, Minneota pulled away in the second inning with six runs.

Randy Sorensen led off the big inning with a single, stole second and scored when Seth Paluch reached base on an error. After a Landon Esping single, a pair of passed balls allowed Palluch and Esping to score.

Christensen kept the rally going with a walk before scoring on a Pohlen single, and an RBI single from Ian Myhre and an RBI ground out by Stassen brought Minneota’s advantage to 7-0.

Myhre led Minneota at the plate with a double and a single while Pohlen and Esping each singled twice. Quinton ANderson also reached base a game-high three times on a single and two walks.

Singles by Paluch and Esping set the table for a pair of RBI singles from WHortenbury and Christense in the third, and Myhre doubled before scoring on an Anderson single in the fourth to bring the score to 10-0. Stassen retired the side in order in the fifth to finish off the mercy-rule win.

Minneota improves to 4-7 on the season with the win.

BOX SCORE

Batting

K. Christensen: 1-2, RBI, BB, SB; L. Pohlen: 2-3, RBI; I. Myhre: 2-2 (2B), RBI, SB; C. Stassen: 0-2, RBI; Q. Anderson: 1-1, RBI, 2 BB; R. Sorsensen: 1-3, SB; S. Paluch: 1-3, SB; L. Esping: 2-3, SB; G. Whortenbury: 1-2, RBI.

Pitching

K. Christensen: 4 IP, 3 H, BB, 5 SO; C. Stassen: IP, SO.