By Hub City Times staff

MARSHFIELD — The Marshfield American Legion Blue Devil baseball team went 3-1 at a tournament in Eau Claire July 6-8.

Post 54 beat teams from Green Bay and Winona, MN, lost to Eau Claire, then beat Altoona.

The Blue Devils opened up the tournament July 6 with a 5-2 win over the Green Bay Shockers. Green Bay led 2-0 when Post 54 put four runs on the board in the bottom of the fifth inning to grab the lead. Marshfield scored once again in the sixth, and then closed the game out in the top of the seventh inning to win. Mason Coffren got the win. He gave up one earned run on five hits in a complete-game effort. Riley Boushack hit a two-run homer, and Devin Toburen and Dakota Landphier had RBIs as well.

In their second game of the tournament on July 7, Marshfield beat the Winona LeJetz 4-2. The Blue Devils again had a four-run fifth inning, as Logan Matson and Ryan Krueger each drove in two runs. Landphier, Boushack, and Eli Drexler each had one hit as well. Preston Wagner was the winning pitcher. Wagner gave up two unearned runs on one hit while striking out eight. Matson got the final out to pick up the save.

Marshfield suffered its only setback of the tournament on July 7, with a 4-1 loss to the Eau Claire Legion. Eau Claire jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. The Blue Devils scored their only run in the third inning, and Eau Claire added runs in the fifth and sixth innings to secure the victory. Jake Brueggen suffered the loss. He gave up all four Eau Claire runs, walked four, and struck out four. Ben Gust, Boushack, Landphier, and Matson each had hits for Marshfield.

Post 54 rebounded July 8 with an 11-3 win over Altoona. The Blue Devils grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the first inning, and then scored three runs in each of the last three innings to put the game away in six innings. Landphier was the winning pitcher. Dakota surrendered all three Altoona runs – two were earned – on five hits, while walking four and striking out four in four innings of work. Ryan Krueger picked up the save in relief. Offensively, Post 54 was led by Devin Toburen, who went 3-for-4 with two runs batted in. Matt Handrick also drove in two runs, and Matson went 2-for-3 with three runs scored. Coffren, Isaiah Baierl, Jacob Earll, and Connor Jasurda each had one hit for Marshfield.

Marshfield ran its overall record to 17-8 after the Eau Claire tournament, which followed a 7-4 win over Wisconsin Rapids on July 2, and a split in a doubleheader with Eau Claire on July 3.

Following games with Stevens Point and Antigo July 12 and 13, the Blue Devils have a doubleheader in Holmen July 14, followed by a twin bill in Onalaska July 15. Marshfield will be back at home July 16 in a game against Plover to wrap up the regular season, before facing Wausau at the AAA Regionals July 20 at Witter Field in Wisconsin Rapids.