Photo by Jake McNeill: Marshall pitcher Ethan Weedman (1) slides into second base during Junior Legion Black's game against the Watertown Arrows in a tournament at Legion Field in Marshall on Friday.

MARSHALL — Strong pitching from Ethan Weedman and Cannon Craigmile gave the Marshall Junior Legion Black baseball team a pair of wins to start its home tournament at Legion Field on Friday. Weedman and Craigmile each threw complete games without allowing an earned run, giving Marshall a pair of 6-2 wins over Alexandria Red and Watertown Arrows.

Friday’s wins keep Marshall Black undefeated on the season at 9-0. 

“We’ve just played baseball together since we were eight years old,” Craigmile said of the team’s early-season success. “We got people that came here this year, [Noah] Pieper moved up so he’s a big help to our team, but I think we just played together and know each other really well.”

The team will look to keep the season-opening streak alive today, when they host Brandon Valley at Legion Field at 9 a.m. before playing a second game against an opponent yet to be determined. Marshall will play at 4 p.m. at Legion Field with a first-place finish on the line if they beat Brandon Valley, or will play at 2 p.m. for the third-place trophy with a loss.

With two more games yet to play in the tournament, Marshall will have a wide variety of arms at its disposal with the hopes of bringing home a tournament title. 

GAME 1

Marshall 6, Alexandria 2

Ethan Weedman threw a complete game for Marshall Black in its home tournament opener against Alexandria Red, holding the opponent to no earned runs as Marshall claimed a 6-2 win.

Weedman struck out four batters in the game while giving up five hits and three walks. Both of the runs he allowed were unearned, coming off Marshall’s three errors in the game.

A first-inning error allowed Alexandria to score in the top of the frame, but Marshall answered in the bottom. 

Ethan Boeck singled, Jackson Sirovy was hit by a pitch and Trae Bailey reached on an error with two outs. Noah Frazee then came up with a two-run single to put Marshall on top.

Another Marshall error in the second allowed Alexandria to tie up the game with two outs, but Black’s pitching and defense left Alexandria without a run for the remainder of the game.

Marshall took the lead for good in the bottom of the frame. Lee singled and Weedman walked to put two runners on, and Boeck reached on an error to score Lee and a passed ball scored Weedman for a 4-2 Marshall advantage.

Frazee and Lee each had a pair of hits in the game, including two RBIs for Frazee. Marshall finished with six hits to Alexandria’s five, though Alexandria made up the difference by drawing three walks to Marshall’s two.

Marshall scored the game’s last runs in the bottom of the third. Bailey reached on an error before scoring on a Craigmile single, and Craigmile scored on a Lee single to make the score 6-2.

Marshall 6, Watertown 2

Cannon Craigmile gave Marshall Black its second complete game of the day in Marshall’s 6-2 win over the Watertown Arrows. He struck out 10 batters on the day, while allowing a pair of unearned runs on one hit and a walk. He retired the side in order in five of the final six innings, with the lone baserunner coming after getting hit by a pitch with two outs in the fifth.

“We started kind of slow, I gave up a walk and a hit, and then our team defense came out and showed up today and we just played really well,” Craigmile said. His ability to locate his fastball in the corners and his ability to mix in a changeup were key to his success on the mound, Craigmile added, saying that he felt “iffy” about his curveball but that it still felt good to be out on the mound.

Watertown took an early lead when Jaxon Falak reached base on an error, stole second, advanced to third on a ground out and scored when Luka Lessin stole second after walking. Lessin also scored on an Andrew Dahl single, but Dahl was caught trying to go back to first after thinking about stretching to second to end the inning.

Marshall capitalized on a pair of Watertown errors at short and a passed ball to take the lead in the bottom of the second. Frazee reached base on the first of the two errors before scoring on a Craigmile double, and after a Tyler Kraft single, Lee reached on the second error of the frame to score Craigmile. A ground out advanced Kraft before a passed ball allowed him to score the go-ahead run for a 3-2 Black advantage.

In the bottom of the fourth, Craigmile singled and Kraft walked to put runners on first and second with two outs. A passed ball moved both runners into scoring position, and Weedman singled them both in for a 5-2 Marshall advantage.

Frazee reached base on an error to start the sixth and scored on a Cole Raley single to make the score 6-2.