Photo by Travis Rosenau: Marshall’s Rocco Rignell singles during a District 2 VFW Baseball Tournament game against Mankato American on Friday at Sleepy Eye Ballpark.

SLEEPY EYE — In a competitive postseason opener, the No. 3 Marshall VFW Orange baseball team prevailed for a 5-4 win against second-seeded Mankato American VFW 16U Friday night in the VFW Tournament quarterfinals.

“I thought overall, Jack Bly threw really well for 6 2/3. There was one rough inning there, where he fought through it and we made it through,” VFW manager Charlie Jacobson said. “It was just putting the ball in play … [We were] able to put some pressure on them. Like, we scored two or three runs off three errors in a row at one point to take the lead in the sixth, which was big and is always good to see.”

Marshall entered the tournament as the three-seed after finishing the regular season 14-9 overall, coming off a pair of doubleheader wins on Sunday. Mankato came in 14-10, and drop to the elimination bracket with the loss.

Errors ultimately hurt Mankato, finishing with five, while Marshall was able to capitalize on the mistakes while recording just one error and three hits on the night. Mankato tallied five hits.

“I think the big thing was, just keeping it into chunks of the game. We got to the fifth inning and we said, ‘OK, guys, we have three innings … We got to win this three-inning ball game, and then we can go home as winners,'” Jacobson said. “Play two or three innings at a time and win each pitch. That was the big thing tonight.”

After a scoreless first two innings, showcasing the competitive atmosphere between the two teams from the jump, Marshall took a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning.

With bases loaded and two outs, both Gavin Williams and Jaxsen Bednarek scored on a passed ball and wild pitch, respectively. Williams first reached base on a Mankato fielding error after hitting a ground ball, while Bednarek singled on a line drive to left field.

Yet, Mankato took a one-run edge in the bottom of the fourth inning behind a trio of runs.

The three runs also came with two outs and bases loaded. After a walk allowed the first run and kept bases occupied, an RBI single to right field brought in a pair of runs before Marshall completed the inning with a ground out to Bednarek manning shortstop.

Marshall didn’t allow the lead to last long, tying the game up at 3-3 with a run in the fifth before scoring two in the sixth.

Rocco Rignell, who initially got on base with a hit and reached by error, accounted for the tying run after Mankato’s pitcher allowed a balk.

After keeping Mankato scoreless in the bottom of the fifth with a pair of fly ball catches by Rignell and Brendan Price, and a ground-out play by Grady Wajer, Isaac Roberts scored the go-ahead run in the top of the sixth off a Williams’ hit and Mankato defensive error, which also gave Williams second base.

“I thought overall that our at-bats weren’t terrible, because we got on base. Either it was walks in one inning, a couple wild pitches scored some guys,” Jacobson said. “We did get a couple of hits. They were hit hard, which was nice to see. Our at-bats overall were pretty good.”

Williams was able to reach home and put Marshall ahead by two, 5-3, off a Wajer hit.

The final run gave Marshall just enough breathing room as Mankato scored one more run in the bottom of the seventh inning looking for a tie or walk-off. The run came from a walk with bases loaded.

Looking for the final out with Mankato still on all bases, Wajer fielded a ground out at second base to secure Marshall’s spot in the winner’s bracket semifinals.

Bly pitched nearly the entire game for Marshall, except the final inning, and finished with a game-high seven strikeouts while allowing three walks and one earned run.

Carson Mensink tossed the final inning, allowing two walks with no hits.

Marshall next advances to the semifinals for Game 5 on Sunday, and will play the winner of top-seeded New Ulm and No. 5 Hutchinson, who play today at 3:30 p.m.

The loser of Game 5 will play in the elimination bracket finals at 4 p.m. on Sunday, while the winner earns a spot in Monday’s championship at 5 p.m.

“We’re going to go with Carson Mensink on Sunday, he’s probably been our most consistent arm. So, I think we’re in a really good spot going into Sunday,” Jacobson said. “If [we] can win that one, you get to the championship Monday, and then we can piece it together and find a way to win I think. I feel good going into Sunday.”

First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.

BOX SCORE

Marshall

J, Bly: 6.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 SO; C. Mensink: S, 0.1 IP, 2 BB.