MENOMINEE — Fifth-inning fireworks from Chase MacGregor helped lift the Marinette Legion baseball team to a 10-6 triumph over Menominee at Spies Field on Wednesday.
Post 39 (4-11 overall) entered the fifth down by one run but Caleb Klimek and JJ Brand worked back-to-back walks before Kolton Goldsmith reached on a bunt single, which brought MacGregor up to the plate with one out and the bases loaded.
MacGregor rose to the challenge and smoked a two-run single into the outfield to bring home Klimek and Brand and give Marinette the lead, while Goldsmith managed to score on a Red Wave error to make it an 8-6 contest in favor of Post 39.
Marinette tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh after Ethan Doubek hit a sacrifice fly to score Brand before Goldsmith crossed home plate again thanks to an RBI-single off the bat of Logan Kurth.
“We battled,” Marinette coach Brian Lesandrini said. “We went up there with a purpose and had meaningful at-bats. We made most of the plays tonight, which obviously helps and usually translates into a W, which it did tonight.”
Menominee (7-12) staged a rally of its own in the bottom of the inning after a single from Dylan Beal coupled with a walk issued to Ethan Short gave the Red Wave a pair of base runners, but MacGregor was able to strike out Tyler Bouty before getting Carter Starzynski and Lewis Vogeltanz to ground into a pair of fielder’s choice outs to end the game.
“The difference in the game was that Marinette was able to get some two-out hits that we just weren’t able to get,” Menominee coach Aaron Buck said. “We didn’t hurt ourselves. Give Marinette credit because they earned it, but we made them work hard and didn’t give anything away.”
Marinette’s victory completes a three-game season sweep of the Red Wave. Post 39 has won six straight games against Menominee.
Wednesday’s action-packed duel saw the two rivals combine for 17 hits, 16 walks and eight stolen bases. The lead also changed hands four times over the span of five innings.
Menominee drew first blood after Aiden Sevon and Gable Buck crossed home plate to give the Red Wave a 2-0 advantage in the bottom of the first.
Marinette snatched the lead back in the top of the second after Goldsmith smacked a two-RBI base knock before MacGregor tacked on an RBI-single to make it a 3-2 affair.
Post 39 pushed its lead up to three in the top of the fourth after Kurth drove in a pair of runs on a single.
“Every time Marinette scored, they were scoring two, three or four runs in an inning and we needed to stop the bleeding and be able to get out of those innings only giving up one (run),” Coach Buck said.
Menominee responded in its half of the frame, with Beal scoring on an error before a two-run double by Vogeltanz lifted the Red Wave to a 6-5 advantage.
Despite regaining the lead, Marinette had chances to bury Menominee further, but the Red Wave managed to mitigate the damage behind some defensive web gems.
The first came in the bottom of the fifth, where Doubek flew out to Gable Buck at shortstop, who then fired to first base to cut down Weston Hanson.
Menominee’s second double play came in the sixth after Klimek flew out to Robert Finger in right field. Finger uncorked a laser to Short at third base to nail Logan Marvin and get the Red Wave out of trouble.
In all, Marinette stranded seven runners on base compared to nine for the Red Wave.
“We left some guys on base early on in the game when we could have broken things open,” Lesandrini said. “Give Menominee credit for getting out of that. They turned a few double plays, which was a rally killer for us and kept the score a little closer than we would have liked.”
Due up
Menominee: The Red Wave host Marquette for a doubleheader in the Red Wave’s final home game of the year today (Friday) at 4 p.m.
Marinette: Post 39 travels to Oshkosh for a doubleheader at 10 a.m.
Marinette 10 — Menominee 6
Marinette 030 230 2 — 10
Menominee 200 400 0 — 6
WP: MacGregor 4IP, 4H, 4R, 4ER, 3BB, 4K
LP: Sevon 4 1/3IP, 9H, 7R, 7ER, 4BB, HBP, 3K
Leading hitters (Menominee): Vogeltanz 1x2, R, 2B, 2BB, 2RBI; Beal 2x4, R; Torin Davis 0x2, 2BB, SB; Buck 1x3, R, BB
Leading hitters (Marinette): MacGregor 2x4, R, HBP, 2RBI; Kurth 2x4, BB, 3RBI; Goldsmith 4x5, 3R, SB, 2RBI; Justin Kruse 1x3, R, BB
Most Popular
Comments / 0