Helias baseball holds off Marshall

Up by four runs, the Helias Crusaders needed just three outs to finish off a win Thursday against the Marshall Owls.

But getting outs 19, 20 and 21 proved to be a little tricky.

“In the end, we got enough outs to win the game and that’s all that matters,” Helias coach Chris Wyrick said after the Crusaders held off the Owls 4-3 at the American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex.

“Sometimes we can get a little side-tracked, maybe lose a little focus, and I think that’s what happened in the seventh inning. We tried to do some things we weren’t capable of doing and it almost came back to bite us.”

The Owls used a single, catcher’s interference and an error to load the bases with nobody out in the seventh. Isaac Young then ripped a single to left to make it 4-1.

After a flyout to short right field kept the bases loaded, Kyle Weber singled to left to make it 4-2.

Lukas Jakubin followed with a popup to short right that was dropped for an error as a run scored, but the Crusaders were able to get a force out at second on the play. A flyout to left ended it.

“We were able to dig out of it, we really needed to get that third out right there,” Wyrick said.

And while happy to get the win, Wyrick also hopes the Crusaders learned a little something as well.

“We now know we have to play the full 21 outs,” he said. “Games like this are good if you can learn from them.”

The Crusaders jumped out to the lead with a run in the bottom of the first. Landon Harrison led off with a single and moved up two bases on a pair of groundouts before Ryan Graessle singled to left for an RBI.

For a while, that looked like it may be all of the scoring.

“I knew we needed more runs,” Wyrick said. “Marshall is too scrappy, no matter what the year is, they are going to battle you to the end.”

Helias got back on the board with a three-run fifth.

Matthew Dampf and Ryan Boessen singled to start the inning and a sacrifice by Nick Carr moved the runners up to second and third. Harrison then beat out an infield single to score pinch-runner Cole Fennewald and when a throw went wild on the play, pinch-runner Alex Werner came home to make it 3-0.

One out later, Alex Faddoul singled home Harrison to make it 4-0.

Helias had a chance to add to its lead in the sixth when Graessle and Zach Stiles led off with singles. But two flyouts and a forceout sent the game to the seventh with the Crusaders holding that four-run edge.

Cole Johnson got the win, working the first four innings. He allowed three hits and a walk while striking out two.

“It was his longest outing of the year and he pitched well,” Wyrick said.

Josiah Imhoff worked the final three innings to get the save, allowing three runs on four hits while striking out one.

“It’s the third time Cole and Josiah have teamed up for a win this season,” Wyrick said.

Helias (10-7) will host Rock Bridge at 5 p.m. Thursday. Marshall is now 5-9.

In Tuesday’s JV game, Austin Fennewald threw a no-hitter as Helias blanked Marshall 9-0.