Photo by Jake McNeill: Marshall catcher Ryan Schwagel (left) tags Milroy Yankee David Schmidt out at the plate during Sunday's Corn Belt League baseball game at Legion Field in Marshall.

MARSHALL — Cody Wichmann came up big for the Marshall A’s in their season opener against Corn Belt League-foe Milroy on Sunday. The Russell-Tyler-Ruthton graduate and current Southwest Minnesota State University pitcher hit a grand slam in the seventh inning to help the A’s outlast the Yankees for a 6-4 win.

“I’m just trying to keep the same approach that I’ve had the last couple of at-bats, just trying to go backside with it again,” Wichmann said. “With the way that Schmitt was throwing, I mean, I got a lucky pitch there and I was able to hit it. It’s a good day.”

Marshall held a 2-1 lead heading into the seventh, and a walk to Ryan Schwagel and singles by Logan Tomasek and Cooper Mensink loaded the bases with one out. Parker Schmitt got a strikeout to put two away and got up 1-2 in the count against Wichmann, but Wichmann blasted a shot over the left-field wall to drive in four runs and give Marshall a five-run lead.

Playing exclusively as a pitcher for SMSU since his sophomore year, Wichmann has spent more time in the bullpen than the batting cages as of late. He said that the game was his first time seeing live pitching in about three or four months, so it was fun to be back on the field with his teammates and hit what he believes to be his first career grand slam at any level.

Mitch Bouwman got the opening-day start for Marshall, throwing 1 2/3 scoreless, hitless innings. He struck out three batters while giving up a pair of walks, but was pulled with two outs, a runner on first, and down 3-0 in the count in the second. Manager Zach Olson said that Bouwman wasn’t feeling it on the mound when they made the change, but that Bouwman wasn’t feeling any pain.

“It really makes you change your game plan when that happens. It’s part of the whole deal, I’ve been there myself, so the last thing I want to do is get any of these guys hurt,” Olson said.

While the unexpected pitching change complicated Marshall’s game plan, Liam Kruse excelled in relief for the A’s. The 2025 Marshall High School graduate threw 6 1/3 innings of relief to earn the win, striking out six batters while giving up a pair of earned runs on eight hits and two walks.

Wichmann also closed out the game with the save, giving up one unearned run on one hit with a pair of strikeouts. At the plate, he recorded a team-leading three hits, finishing a triple shy of the cycle. Ryan Schwagel also had a pair of doubles and a pair of walks and Mensink logged two singles and a walk.

“I think just coming back to the amount of people that came out and supported us, especially against the Yankees … That’s huge, especially for being in Marshall,” Wichmann said. “Usually we get a good crowd for them, and it was a lot of fun. A lot of guys contributed.”

Isaac Schmitt threw the first three innings for the Yankees, allowing a pair of earned runs on two walks and three hits with five strikeouts. His younger brother Parker threw the following 3 2/3 frames, holding the A’s scoreless for the first three of those innings but finished allowing four earned runs on seven hits and three walks.

With one out in the third, Alex Schuh, David Schmidt and Brock Schultz hit consecutive singles to load the bases for the Yankees. Andy Schmidt was hit by a pitch to push across the tying run, but Kruse struck out the next batter and induced a pop out to left field to get out of the jam.

Still, the tie didn’t last long. AJ Toulouse was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the frame and advanced to third on a Josh Kraft double. Isaac Schmitt struck out a batter before walking Schwagel to load the bases, and Charlie Jacobson grounded into a fielder’s choice to score Toulouse for a 2-1 A’s advantage.

Branden Flock led Milroy with three hits and an RBI on the day.

Following Wichmann’s grand slam to give Marshall some breathing room, Nathan Deutz answered for Milroy in the top of the eighth with a solo home run, cutting the gap to four.

Jackson Hughes then reached on an error and Flock singled to put two on when David Schmidt stepped up to the plate with one out. Schmidt reached on another error, scoring Hughes and bringing the tying run to the plate, but a strikeout and a line out ended the rally.

“You kind of expect, for their [Milroy] second game and our first, these guys have been playing. But together, not so much,” Olson said. “That’s where you get errors, things like that, but at least we were able to power through at the end there. Wich’s granny really saved us.”

The Yankees also reached base on a pair of errors in the ninth, putting the tying run on base with one out. Wichmann got a strikeout before a Flock single brought the score to 6-4, but Kraft fielded a ground ball at shortstop in the next at-bat and made the throw to first for the game-sealing out.

Toulouse got the A’s off to a hot start when he was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch. With two outs, Kruse hit a pop fly to second base, but the ball was lost in the sun and fell safely into the grass, allowing Toulouse to run all the way home for a 1-0 lead.

Changing of the guard

After seven years as the field manager of the A’s, Schwagel elected to step down from the position ahead of the 2026 season. Still, Schwagel is remaining with the team as a catcher and assistant coach.

“It’s definitely different, but it’s also a little more freeing for me, personally, to just show up and play and not have to worry about lineups,” Schwagel said. “It’s definitely different after seven years, but it’s great just to be here and play.”

Taking the reins this year is Olson, who’s spent the last 13 seasons as a player and assistant coach for the team. The Luverne-native also played college ball at SMSU.

“I’ve been helping out as an assistant for the last couple of years, so I had an idea of everyone who’s coming back, guys we lost, things like that. Having guys playing college ball as much as they are makes it a little easier on my end,” Olson said. “Still nervous though, not playing but making sure you’ve got guys in the right spot, things like that. It’s just, oh boy, it’s fun, but it’s good to have the team we’ve got.”

Up next

Now 1-0 on the season, the A’s next host the Willmar Rails on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

The Yankees next go on the road to take on Bird Island on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

BOX SCORE

MARSHALL

BATTING

C. Wichmann: 3-5 (HR, 2B), 4 RBI, R; A. Toulouse: 1-3, 2 HBP, 2 R; J. Kraft: 1-5 (2B), SO; L. Kruse: 1-5, RBI, 2 SO; R. Schwagel: 2-3 (2 2B), 2 BB; C. Jacobson: 1-4, BB, RBI, SO; L. Tomasek: 1-5, R, 2 SO; C. Mensink: 2-3, BB, R; A. Cowden: 0-2, BB, 2 SO.

PITCHING

M. Bouwman: 1.2 IP, 2 BB, 3 SO; L. Kruse: W, 6.1 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO; C. Wichmann: S, IP, H, R, 2 SO.

MILROY

BATTING

B. Flock: 3-6, RBI, SO; A. Schuh: 1-5, BB, R, 2 SO; D. Schmidt: 1-5, RBI; B. Schultz: 1-5, 3 SO; A. Schmidt: 1-4, HBP, RBI; C. Minkel: 1-3, BB, HBP, SO; J. Remiger: 0-4, BB, 2 SO; N. Deutz: 1-3 (HR), BB, RBI, R; J. Hughes: 0-4, R, 2 SO.

PITCHING

I. Schmitt: 3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO; P. Schmitt: L, 3.2 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO; N. Deutz: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 SO.