By Journal Sports Staff

STEVENS POINT, Wis. — The Marquette Blues piled up the runs while they could to complete a big comeback at the Firecracker Tournament in American Legion baseball on Friday.

Trailing 5-1 entering the fifth inning, the Blues scored a dozen runs in their next two at-bats to pull away from the Green Bay, Wisconsin, Shockers 13-7.

“Brendan Kaski did a nice job,” Blues manager Derek Swajanen said of his starting pitcher. “And for the 30 pitches we had available for Blake Henriksen, the word with him was ‘economical’.”

He said the Shockers are the Legion equivalent of the Green Bay Preble High School team that was ranked in the top 10 in Wisconsin high school baall during the spring. It has several players who have signed to play at NCAA Division I Vanderbilt and Clemson.

Kaski went just long enough to get credit for the victory, pitching the first four innings, allowing five runs on four hits with six walks as he struck out two.

Henriksen went 2 2/3 innings, allowing no runs, no hits and no walks as he fanned five. Cooper Meyers got the final out, giving up two runs on one hit and two walks as he struck out one.

Henriksen not only pitched well, but went 3 for 5 with a double at the plate as he knocked in two runs, scored twice and stole two bases. Teammate Jakob Peterson was 2 for 3 as he also had an RBI and scored two runs, swiped two bases, was hit by a pitch and drew a walk.

Marquette’s Hogan Nemetz had a triple with four RBIs and two runs scored as he stole a base and was hit by a pitch. Connor Steer also scored twice and had an RBI without benefit of a hit as he walked twice and stole a base.

They were part of a nine-hit attack that also included seven walks and three hit batsmen by a quartet of Green Bay pitchers.

The Blues continue play in the tourney today with games scheduled against Marinette, Wisconsin, at 12:30 p.m. EDT and Manitowoc, Wisconsin, at 4:30 p.m. EDT. Sunday will see a final game against Watertown, Wisconsin, at noon EDT.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.