NO RETURN — Truman/Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain third baseman Luke Kester (9) tags out Mankato Loyola runner Anders Winch trying to retreat to the bag during Valley Conference baseball action Tuesday night in Truman. (Photo by Greg Abel)

TRUMAN — The Truman/Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain Jaguars baseball team evened its record at 1-1 after a 7-4 loss to the Mankato Loyola Crusaders on Tuesday in Truman.

“Braedan Shell pitched a good game for us,” Jaguars’ head coach Jordan Petschke said. “We had runners on base, but didn’t get the big hit when we needed it to drive home some runs. Overall after two games, we’re playing pretty well and today we hung tough against a good team.”

The Jaguars scratched out a 2-1 lead, scoring solo runs in the first and third innings.

They scored in the first without the benefit of a hit. Matthew Steuber led off with a walk, but was forced out at second on Kaiden Musser’s fielder’s choice.

Musser stole second base, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored when Shell had a bases-loaded walk.

The Crusaders tied the game at 1-all after Mason Stoffel’s solo home run in the top of the second inning, but the Jaguars took another one-run lead in the third.

Luke Kester singled, stole second base and came around to score when Tyson Meinert’s two-out looper was mishandled in shallow left field.

The Crusaders took the lead for good, scoring four runs in the sixth and added two more runs in the seventh to extend their lead to 7-2. Loyola sent nine hitters to the plate in the sixth.

The Jaguars fought back and scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to make it interesting.

Shell had their lone hit in the inning as they benefitted from two walks, a hit by pitch and an error to push across the two runs.

Steuber drove in a run with a bases-loaded walk and Shell scored the second run on an error.

Musser doubled, while Carter Brudelie, Kester, Shell and Meinert each had singles. Steuber walked three times.

For the Crusaders, Stoffel and Anders Winch each had two hits and Winch had two RBIs.

Shell took the loss for the Jaguars, pitching 5 1/3 innings. He gave up five runs on five hits, one walk and struck out four.

Carson Hastad and Peyton Franzen also pitched for the Jaguars. Hastad pitched 1 1/3 innings, giving up one run on one hit with three walks, while Franzen finished on the mound, going 1/3 of an inning, giving up one run on one hit with two walks and one hit by pitch.

Stoffel started for the Crusaders, pitching two innings, giving up one run, no hits, five walks and striking out four.

Jake Sizer earned the win in relief. Sizer pitched four innings, giving up one run on four hit with three walks and striking out four. Jaxon Libby pitched one inning and gave up two runs on one hit, two walks and he hit one batter and struck out two.

“Our pitching has been pretty good, but our offense has been a little slow to start the season,” Petschke said. “It’s been only two games, but I see a lot of good things from our kids.”

The Jaguars (1-1) host Glenville-Emmons/Alden-Conger at 4:30 p.m. Thursday in Truman.

Truman/Martin Luther/GHEC 2, St. James Area 1 (Monday) — Kaiden Musser utilized both a strong pitching performance and a solid bat to help the Jaguars squeeze out a one-run non-league victory over the Saints on Monday night in St. James.

Musser allowed one earned run on only one hit in six innings pitched to merit the win. The senior right-hander recorded six strikeouts, walked three and hit four batters.

Jaguars’ reliever Braeden Shell earned the save by striking out one during a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh.

Musser collected two hits and one RBI for the Jaguars, while Matthew Steuber went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks and scored both of the purple-and-black attack’s runs.