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MARSHFIELD – Marshfield had four-straight hits to score three runs in the bottom of the first inning and was able to hold off a late rally to defeat Merrill 4-3 in the Wisconsin Valley Conference baseball opener for both teams on Tuesday at Safford Field.
Chase Robinson ripped a home run on the first pitch from Merrill pitcher Dawson Schultz to get the Tigers on the board.
Whyatt Post and Ben Dietsche followed with back-to-back doubles to plate another run and Cole Halvorsen singled home another run to give Marshfield a quick 3-0 lead before Schultz retired a batter.
Marshfield starting pitcher Braxton Kurth cruised through the first five innings, striking out nine, before running into some trouble in the sixth.
Sam Reimann had an RBI double and scored on a single by Connor Cortright to cut the Tigers’ lead to 3-2 before Kurth and reliever Zander Edmundson worked out the inning.
The Tigers grabbed a needed insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when Adam Gilbertson doubled and pinch runner Judd Higgins scored on a single by Braden Anderson.
Edmundson retired the first Merrill batter in the seventh before a walk and a single. Owen Griesbach entered a threw a wild pitch to scored a run for the Bluejays before he was able to strikeout out a pair to earn the save for Kurth.
Robinson finished 3-for-3 for Marshfield, which improves to 2-0 overall.
The two teams will play again Thursday at Merrill.
Tigers 4, Bluejays 3
Merrill 000 002 1 – 3 6 1
Marshfield 300 001 x – 4 9 1
WP: Braxton Kurth. LP: Dawson Schultz. SV: Owen Griesbach.
SO: Schultz 3; Kurth (5 2/3 inn.) 9, Zander Edmundson (2/3 inn.) 1, Griesbach (2/3 inn.) 2. BB: Schultz 0; Kurth 2, Edmundson 1, Griesbach 1.
Top hitters: MER, Sam Reimann 2×3, 2B, RBI. MAR, Chase Robinson 3×3, HR, RBI; Ben Dietsche 2B, RBI; Cole Halvorsen RBI; Adam Gilbertson 2B; Wyhatt Post 2B.
Records: Merrill 0-2, 0-1 Wisconsin Valley Conference; Marshfield 2-0, 1-0 Wisconsin Valley Conference.