The Marshall A’s suffered a pair of tough Corn Belt League losses on May 30 and June 1, losing at Granite Falls, 3-2, before losing, 11-9 to Bird Island in Marshall.
In the loss to Granite Falls, the A’s took a 2-1 lead in the third behind a two-run double from Connor Neubeck. The Kilowatts answered with a two-run fourth to regain the lead and held on behind the solid pitching of Bennett Knapper.
A’s starting pitcher Mitchell Bouwman was outstanding as he allowed just five hits in eight innings with two earned runs, while striking out 14 and walking two. The Marshall offense finished with six hits as Neubeck and Wes Sarsland closed with two hits each, while Ashton Blomberg and Noah Frazee each had one hit.
In Sunday’s loss to Bird Island, the A’s fell behind 6-0 in the fourth inning but battled back to make it a game with three runs in both the eighth and ninth innings.
Neubeck finished 3 for 4 with four RBIs and three runs scored as he belted a pair of home runs. AJ Toulouse, Coby Brownledd and Logan Tomasek each finished with two hits. Sarsland, Andrew Stelter and Talan Plante each had one hit, with Plante belting a two-run single.
Blomberg suffered the loss pitching tossing four innings and allowing six runs (one earned), while Tomasek battled and fired the final five innings and allowed five runs on five hits.
Marshall, 2-3 overall, will host Wabasso on Wednesday night at 7:30 and will have a rare Saturday night home game versus the Willmar Rails starting at 7:30. #StraightAs