121st Article at the Independent

AMATEUR BASEBALL: 12-run sixth inning by Luverne dooms Marshall in non-league matchup, 15-2

Chris Drummond

cdrummond@marshallindependent.com

MARSHALL — The Marshall amateur baseball team knew things were going to be challenging during their matchup against Luverne on Friday. Marshall went toe-to-toe with the Redbirds early, including holding a one-run lead after five innings. That all changed in a single at-bat.

Luverne broke out the offense in the top of the sixth, scoring 12 runs before adding three more an inning later to earn a 15-2 victory in seven innings at Legion Field.

After Marshall scored a run in the bottom of the third, the two teams traded scoreless frames until Luverne used seven hits to plate 12 runs in the sixth. Marshall had more errors (2) than hits and runs combined (1) for the first six innings. The A’s would record two hits total, one coming from outfielder Connor Neubeck and the other from Mitchell Bouwman. Both of the runs scored by Marshall were off of Luverne errors in the game, which was the only bad thing that happened to them all night as they would have three errors.

Marshall manager Ryan Schwagel spoke on the sixth inning in the loss.

“Logan [Tomasek] through the first few innings was throwing strikes and we played great defense,” Schwagel said. “Then he gave up a hit, hit a guy and it started to unravel from there. Talan [Plante] came in and just didn’t throw enough strikes. Had to keep the game moving and we did it that way.”

Schwagel also added that it was just one of those days where they couldn’t find any green for hits and the message advocated to the team is to put this game behind them and get back to playing Marshall A’s baseball.

Marshall (6-8) will travel for its next game facing off against Willmar on Sunday at 5 p.m.

Hitting: Marshall (Neubeck 1-3; Bouwman 1-1).

Pitching: Marshall (IP-R-ER-H-BB-SO): Marshall (Tomasek 5.2-9-6-8-1-2; Plante 0-3-3-2-3; Schwagel 1.1-3-3-3-1-1).