Marsolek sends Huskies to Northwoods League championship game – Duluth News Tribune

DULUTH — It doesn’t take much to get Owen Marsolek’s competitive juices flowing.

After cruising through the opening two innings of Wednesday’s Great Plains divisional championship game against Mankato, Marsolek found himself trailing in a count, 3-0, with two outs in the third frame.

Marsolek’s fourth pitch painted the corner for a strike, but Mankato’s Caleb Koskie had already tossed his bat toward the dugout after a perceived fourth ball.

“He tossed his bat because he thought it was ball four,” Marsolek said. “I knew it was over at that point.”

Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group

Marsolek delivered two subsequent strikes and retired Koskie, the son of Twins Hall of Famer Corey Koskie, swinging. It shifted the momentum and propelled Marsolek to six shutouts innings in which he struck out four, walked just two and surrendered only three hits.

Duluth manager Marcus Pointer said Marsolek’s effort was a driving force behind the Huskies’ 4-1 victory over Mankato, which secured their place in the Northwoods League championship game for the fifth time in franchise history and first since 2022.

“He’s been phenomenal this summer,” Pointer said. “We pushed some of his starts back — he hadn’t thrown in 10 or 11 days — because we knew he was going to go for game three of the playoffs. We had faith in him all year, and he showed up in a big-time spot.”

Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group

After walking the first batter of the game on just a handful of pitches, Marsolek settled into a rhythm that helped him cruise through Mankato’s potent order. Whether it was his fastball or a litany of offspeed pitches, Marsolek’s entire arsenal was on display.

“I was in a rhythm,” Marsolek said. “Throwing strike one was huge for me tonight — working ahead of hitters and not getting behind in counts. Just trusting my stuff and that my pitches were going to get outs, that was the big thing.”

Marsolek has been one of Duluth’s most consistent pitchers this season, despite being a fresh high school graduate competing against Northwoods League players who play for elite Division I programs all over the country.

Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group

From the moment he stepped on the turf at Wade Stadium for the first time earlier this summer, the entire locker room and coaching staff knew he belonged — regardless of his age or experience in the league.

“He’s confident and competitive, but the biggest thing is his mindset,” Pointer said. “He’s a competitive dog and the guys rally behind him. He’s the young guy on the team, but he gets everybody behind him because he belongs out here, and he acts like it.”

Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group

Marsolek handled business defensively while Reagan Reeder sparked Duluth’s offense Wednesday evening. The first baseman finished 3-for-4 at the plate and scored three runs against Mankato.

Reeder singled in the second inning and was driven in two batters later by Kingsley Guthrie, giving the Huskies a 1-0 lead. In the fourth inning, Reeder reached on a double to right field. He later scored on a Jake Downing single to make it a 2-0 lead for Duluth.

“I saw the ball really well tonight and just tried to do anything I could to help the team,” Reeder said. “This place can get really, really loud, and it was tonight. It was cool to see that many people out here watching us.”

Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group

Reeder’s excellence in a Great Plains divisional championship game was a continuation of a summer of dominance. Pointer said Reeder has been a versatile bat and position player for the Huskies this year, which has been pivotal in sparking a playoff run.

“He played here last year and didn’t have the summer he wanted,” Pointer said. “He wanted to go on a revenge tour this year, and he has. He’s batting around .300, plays multiple positions and has delivered in big spots like tonight. We’re confident in him.”

The Duluth Huskies will host the Green Bay Rockers on Thursday in a contest that will decide the Northwoods League champion. The Huskies have made the title game four times previously, but have never won.

Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group

First pitch is slated for 6:35 p.m. at Wade Stadium, and the Huskies are hoping Duluth shows up and creates a raucous environment.

“We play better when there is a knock or a run scored and the stadium is going wild,” Pointer said. “We played well behind a great crowd tonight. It’s great to see our fans are still with us and I hope it’s a rocking environment tomorrow night.”

Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group

Reagan Hoverman joined the Duluth News Tribune as a sports reporter in July 2023 after spending the better part of two years covering a variety of prep and collegiate sports at the Pierce County Journal in Ellsworth, Wis. Before that, he was a news and sports reporter at the Inter-County Leader in Frederic, Wis.