NEGAUNEE — A throwing error in the bottom of the first extra inning was what Negaunee needed to bring the winning run home in a 3-2 victory over Marquette in a high school baseball game played at the Irontown Field in Negaunee on Monday.

After the Miners tied the game 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning with an Owen Cardinal sacrifice fly, Marquette’s extra-inning runner was thrown out at third base to end their threat in the top of the seventh.

Negaunee then came up with Cardinal serving as that “ghost” runner, and when Morgan Robar hit an infield grounder, the throw to first base was wild and Robar, who hadn’t slowed down turning third, scampered home to end it.

“It was nice to get a win on Senior Night,” Miners manager Jason Siik said. “We had a couple of players out of position to make sure to get all the seniors some action.”

Carsen Belanger picked up the win with an interesting pitching line — he pitched the first, fifth, sixth and seventh innings, having come out for several of his teammates before he came back to the mound.

In total, he allowed just one unearned run on one hit and one walk as he struck out two. Teammates Jack Siik, Ian Engstrom and Weston Yesney pitched the intervening innings, combining to allow one more unearned run on one hit, two walks and four K’s.

Alex Brennan was the Sentinels’ hard-luck loser, going the distance, which was six innings as he allowed one earned and one unearned run on three hits and three walks as he fanned three.

Jack Siik went 1 for 2 with a double, a walk and a stolen base as he scored twice. Belanger joined Cardinal in hitting a sac fly, and thus earning an RBI. Devin Jurmu and Aiden Steele had the Miners’ other hits.

Ian Sheltrow and Drew Erickson each went 1 for 3 for Marquette, while Wes Robinson was 1 for 2 with his team’s only RBI.

Gib Jezewski didn’t have a hit, but he scored a run as he walked and stole two bases.

The Sentinels opened the scoring with a single run in the second before Negaunee tied it 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth on a Belanger sac fly.

Marquette retook a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth after a Robinson RBI single, then Cardinal forced the extra inning with his sac fly in the bottom of the sixth.

The Miners travel to Houghton to play a doubleheader at 4 p.m. today, while the Sentinels’ next game is at Gladstone on Thursday.

Story contents based on an email received from MSHS manager Mark Pantti and phone call from NHS manager Jason Siik. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.