MARQUETTE — The Marquette Blues built a five-run lead in the fourth inning but had to hold on for a 6-4 victory over the Gladstone Indians in an Upper Peninsula Under-19 Baseball League game played Wednesday at Haley Memorial Field in Marquette.

The visitors scored twice in the fifth inning and once in the sixth before the Blues got Gladstone out without a run scoring in the top of the seventh.

The Indians brought in runs in the fifth with an RBI single by Parker Frapier and bases-loaded walk to Dayton Berson, and in the sixth with a single by Dan Martin.

The Blues got off to a quick start with three runs in the first, including Jon Jason hitting an RBI double on a 1-2 count.

Jason finished 2 for 4 with two RBIs and a run scored, while teammate Peter VandenAvond led Marquette’s 10-hit attack after going 3 for 4 with an RBI and two runs.

The Blues’ Blake Henriksen was also 2 for 4 with two runs, while Eli Werner tripled and Brendan Kaski and Eric Johnson each singled. Clayton Smith had an RBI while drawing a walk, while Werner had an RBI and Kaski scored once.

That made a winner of Smith, who started and pitched three innings, allowing no runs and no hits while walking three and striking out four.

Kaski followed on the mound, going 1 1/3 innings and allowing three runs — two earned — on three hits and three walks. Kyle Frusti went 2 1/3 innings with an earned run on three hits and four walks, while Jason picked up the save, getting the last out on a strikeout.

Martin led Gladstone’s six-hit offense with two hits, including a double, as he had an RBI, run and walk. Zach Hanson also doubled with a run and walk, while Frapier had two RBIs.

Ian Schwalbach started and went five innings for the Braves, allowing six runs — five earned — on 10 hits and a walk as he fanned five. Frapier went the final inning with zeroes across the board.

The Blues are scheduled for three games to be played in Sault Ste. Marie this weekend. They face their hosts in a 4 p.m. doubleheader Saturday, then play Petoskey in a single game at 1p.m. Sunday.

The Marquette Reds are involved in the U.P. Junior Baseball Tournament in Iron Mountain that started with a Thursday afternoon game against Bark River. Today, the Reds are scheduled to play the Escanaba Junior Cubs at 10:30 a.m. EDT and Menominee Junior Maroons at 6 p.m. EDT. The semifinals are set for 11 a.m. EDT Saturday and championship not long after at 4 p.m. EDT.

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