ESCANABA — The Marquette Blues split four games at the American Legion baseball Gregg Johnson Memorial Tournament held in Escanaba last weekend.

On Friday, the Blues pasted Bark River 10-1 and blasted Gladstone 8-1, then had a tougher time Saturday against a pair of Wisconsin teams, falling to Green Bay 10-6 and to Marinette 4-1. Those Badger State teams both reached Sunday’s semifinals, which Marquette didn’t qualify for.

The Blues, who were scheduled to play Tuesday night at Gladstone, also host Houghton in a doubleheader at 6 p.m. Thursday. Then they’re back to another tourney this weekend at the Firecracker Tournament that has been traditionally held in Marinette.

Here is a rundown of Blues’ action at last weekend’s tourney:

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Blues 10, Bark River 1

Marquette built a 6-0 lead in the first three innings before Bark River scored its only run.

Justin Wenk was credited with the pitching win as he started and went three innings, allowing no runs on three hits and a walk as he struck out three.

Teammate Hayden Rockhill was the middle reliever, going 1 1/3 innings and getting three strikeouts as he allowed one run on three hits and no walks. Erik Johnson went the final 2 2/3 innings without allowing a run on one hit and one hit batter as he fanned three.

Parker Maki and Wenk led Marquette hitters — Maki went 2 for 3 with three RBIs, a run scored and a walk, while Wenk was 2 for 2 with two RBIs, a run and a stolen base.

Johnson, Dustin Lohfink, Dakota Maki and Jakob Peterson each had a single as Johnson and Lohfink added an RBI and Dakota Maki scored a run.

The most interesting line, though, was turned in by Kyle Frusti, who while only going 0 for 1, scored four times as he drew three walks.

Marquette only outhit their opponents 8-7 but Bark River hurt itself with six errors as the Blues had just one.

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Blues 8, Gladstone 1

Brady Wright saved manager Derek Swajanen’s bullpen by pitching a six-inning complete game, allowing one run on five hits and a walk as he K’d seven.

Peterson and Peter VandenAvond each had two hits to lead Marquette’s eight-hit attack. Peterson was 2 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs, while VandenAvond was 2 for 3 with an RBI, two runs, a walk and two stolen bases.

Frusti continued to score at will, going 1 for 4 with a double but crossing the plate twice as he had an RBI. Wright, Wenk and Hunter Nemetz had singles as each also had an RBI.

Johnson was 0 for 1 but scored a run, drew two walks, was hit by a pitch and stole a base.

The Blues built a 5-0 lead after four innings before Gladstone plated its single run.

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Green Bay 10, Blues 6

As the second of four Marquette pitchers, Frusti was rocked for seven runs — six earned — on six hits and three walks with a strikeout in two innings work.

Dakota Maki started and went three innings, allowing one run on four hits, while VandenAvond and Parker Maki combined to go the final two innings.

The Shockers broke open a 2-2 game with six runs in the top of the fifth.

Nemetz and Parker Maki each went 2 for 4, with Nemetz collecting an RBI and scoring a run, while Maki had an RBI with a double. Wenk was 2 for 2 with a run.

Johnson homered for the Blues in four at-bats, while Wright, Peterson and Dakota Maki each had a single, Wright knocking in two runs and he and Dakota Maki scoring one each.

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Marinette 4, Blues 1

Wright produced a run-scoring single in the fourth to send Nemetz scurrying home and make the score 3-1 at the time.

Wright and Dakota Maki each went 2 for 3 as Wright had an RBI. VandenAvond and Parker Maki both had a double, while Nemetz, Peterson and Wenk each had a single.

Peterson was the hard-luck loser on the mound, starting and going two innings as he allowed two runs on two hits and four walks as he fanned two. Johnson went the final four innings, giving up two runs on seven hits, a walk and a hit batsman as he K’d four.

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