Jays move to 3-0 with 9-8 win over Catholic (Rebroadcast Available)

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The Marshfield Blue Jays held on for a 9-8 victory over Springfield Catholic Saturday in the final round-robin contest at the Buffalo-Bolivar High School Baseball Tournament, moving into the championship game with a 3-0 record.

The Blue Jays will play Clinton for the title on Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. in Bolivar.

Marshfield scored 6 runs in the third after falling behind 2-0, and grabbed a 9-3 lead in the top of the fourth. But Catholic, now 1-2 on the season, kept battling back, posting 2 runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth, cutting the Blue Jays lead to 9-8 entering the final at bat.

In that bottom of the seventh, the Irish put 2 runners on base with 1 out, and had both runners in scoring position when Marshfield reliever Shawn Steele got a game-ending fly out.

Tim Ryan was the winning pitcher for the Blue jays, working the first 4 innings, allowing 4 runs and 4 hits with 2 walks and 2 strike outs. Steele worked 3 innings with 1 strike out, allowing 2 runs and 4 hits while earning the save.

As has been the case in all 3 Marshfield wins to start the 2008 season, every batter in the Blue Jays lineup contributed.

Cameron Keenan walked twice and scored twice; Jordan Jones had a sacrifice fly, two runs batted in, a single and a run scored; Justin Fraker walked twice, singled, stole two bases and scored twice; Nathan Van Diggelen singled to drive in 2 runs and walked; Chris Arnold smacked a 2 run double and scored; Garrett Cardwell had 2 singles and an RBI; Tim Ryan singled and courtesy runner Nick Peak scored; Justin Drane had a sacrifice and scored; and Zach Hildebrand walked, stole a base and scored.

Catholic scored a pair in the last of the first with singles by Eric Camejo and Kendall San Paulo. Camejo stole a base and scored and San Paulo drove in a run during the rally, which benefited from a pair of Marshfield errors.

Marshfield starter Tim Ryan settled in and retired 8 in a row through the third inning.

In the top of the third, Tim Ryan singled to start the big Marshfield rally. Justin Drane laid down a sacrifice bunt, and was able to reach safely on an error. Courtesy runner Nick Peak scored on a wild pitch while Zach Hildebrand worked a walk. Hildebrand stole second and Cameron Keenan drew a base on balls to load the bases. Jordan Jones drove in Justin Drane with a sacrifice fly. Zach Hildebrand scored on a wild pictch while Justin Fraker worked a walk. Fraker stole second and Nathan Van Diggelen walked to load the bases.

Chris Arnold drilled a 2-run double, coring Cameron Keenana and Justin Fraker. Garrett Cardwell capped the rally with a single which drove in courtesy runner Shane Harms, putting the Blue Jays up 6-2.

In the fourth, Marshfield rallied with 2 outs. Cameron Keenan walked and scored all the way from first base on a single by Jordan Jones. Justin Fraker walked and Nathan Van Diggelen delivered a 2-run single, giving the Jays a 9-2 lead.

In the last of the fourth, Catholic got a double from Colin Watkins and an RBI from Steven Tipton during a 2 run rally.

In the fifth, Joel Harrington delivered a 2-run single for the Irish, and Nick Hurt singled and scored as Catholic cut the lead to 9-6.

In the sixth Aaron Tribby singled and scored on a double by Eric Camejo. Camejo scored on a single by San Paulo.

But Steele pitched around a pair of errors in the final inning, and did not allow a hit to the final 7 Catholic batters to seal the deal for Marshfield.