CHANNING - The Marquette Blues needed a few innings, but eventually bounced back from a shutout loss the night before to defeat Channing 9-5 in an American Legion baseball game played Thursday night.
The Blues fell behind 1-0 and 3-1 while not scoring until the fifth inning on Thursday in this Mid-Pen League game.
"We had a hard time early in this game, it seemed to be a continuation of last night, where we were struggling to hit the ball," Marquette manager Derek Swajanen said.
Starting pitcher Colin O'Neal got the win for the Blues, going five innings, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out six and walking two. Luke Swajanen and Trevor Bratoinia each pitched an inning in relief.
"Colin did a real nice job of keeping the game close and I had a feeling eventually we would break through, and that's exactly what happened," Swajanen said.
No. 2 hitter led Marquette out of its hitting slump, which included 11 consecutive scoreless innings on Wednesday and Thursday, going 3 for 5 with a double, 4 RBIs, two runs scored and even a stolen base.
Teammates Eric Kostreva and Jared Wales had two hits apiece for the Blues, who play Ida-Monroe at 10 a.m. Saturday at Haley Memorial Field in Marquette.
The Railroaders' Cody Berg absorbed the loss, going six innings and giving up all nine runs and 11 of Marquette's 12 hits while walking eight and fanning four.