A majority of the game was a defensive battle between both teams, not allowing a single run to score up until the sixth inning when Marshall was able to string together a few consecutive hits, ultimately not leaving Springfield enough time to put together a full comeback.

“We played really well. Carson threw well on the mound, and we played really well behind him,” head coach Chace Pollock said. “There was only, what, three hits through six innings, so there wasn’t a lot going on there for five innings. Both pitchers did a great job.”

Marshall got the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth with base hits from Jaxsen Bednarek and Mensink, and a Brenden Price line-drive single to left field.

Graven then stepped up to the plate and quickly cleared the bases with the go-ahead RBI triple on a fly ball to deep right field to give Marshall a 3-0 edge.

Photo by Samantha Davis: Marshall's Junior Legion's Bennett Graven catches a strike against Springfield Thursday night. Graven hit a go-ahead three-run RBI triple to give Marshall the lead in the sixth inning.

Carter Phillippe courtesy ran for Graven, being Marshall’s catcher, and also scored in the next at-bat with the help of a Charlie Moline hit and a Sprinfield fielding error. Moline then scored the final run of the rally with a Jack Bly RBI double with a hit to the center-field gap.

“That was great. We got the leadoff guy on, which helped get some things going, and then got Brenden Price hit a had a nice base hit on that single, and we got a break on the double play where they [Springfield] were off the bag, and then Bennett came up and made them pay,” Pollock said. “It was a good day, and proud of our group. We had a couple big hits after that. Charlie had the ball in the hole, and Jack hit the base hit up the middle, and that’s all we needed today.”

Marshall was able to hold it down defensively in the top of the seventh as well in Springfield’s final plate appearance, highlighted by a diving catch in center field from Price.

Springfield’s lone run of the night came in the seventh when Mensink was called for a balk with a runner on third.

In addition to Mensink’s strong pitching performance, Marshall’s defense behind him was also nearly unstoppable.

Photo by Samantha Davis: Marshall's Junior Legion's Carson Mensink throws a pitch against Springfield Thursday night at Legion Field in Marshall.

Mensink finished with four strikeouts, allowing just one walk, through his seven innings.

Marshall had a handful of impressive defensive plays throughout the night, including a double play in the second inning after Grady Wajer fielded a ground ball and flipped the ball to Bednarek covering second for the force out, and Wajer tossed the ball over to Moline at first to complete the play. Mensink also had a pair of successful pickoffs in the third inning to keep the momentum going.

“We picked-off two guys, and we got the big double play ball when we needed it, and we almost had a double play to end the game, that was so close,” Pollock said. “They’ve been playing well defensively all year, so it’s fun to see.”

Marshall Junior Legion will next return to the field when it travels to take on Sleepy Eye, to be played in Leavenworth, on Tuesday with a 7 p.m. first pitch. Marshall will return home on Thursday to host Willmar for a doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m.

Photo by Samantha Davis: Marshall's Junior Legion's Brenden Price connects for a hit against Springfield Thursday night at Legion Field in Marshall.