Curran McNeeley earned his first victory as coach of the Effingham baseball team Saturday after his Hearts posted a 13-0, five-inning win at home over Marshall.

Effingham benefited from nine walks and four Marshall errors to go along with five hits.

The Hearts also got a strong pitching performance. Jackson Lee went the first four innings and allowed just one hit – a single in the fourth inning – while walking two and striking out eight. Josh McDevitt pitched the fifth and struck out the side.

Effingham scored what proved to be the winning runs in the opening inning. With one out, Jack Blickem and Lee received back-to-back walks and advanced a base on a wild pitch. Joe Matteson’s sacrifice fly drove in the first run and the second tally scored on a passed ball.

The Hearts broke it open with a seven-run third. They received six walks, including two with the bases loaded, scored a run on a passed ball and another on a wild pitch. Quest Hull also delivered a two-run single and George Massey added an RBI base hit to give EHS the 9-0 lead.

Three Marshall errors, a wild pitch and a double by Preston Latch led to four more tallies in the fourth and wrap up the scoring.

Massey and Hull both had a pair of hits for the Hearts and Latch had the fifth hit.

Effingham, 1-0, will play Friday at Mt. Vernon and Saturday at Olney.