Staff photo by Steve Muscatello Minnesota Valley Lutheran’s William Sanders (right) starts his slide into home as Elijah Stifter (left) of Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart looks on Tuesday in Searles.

SEARLES — Pitchers Jace Marotz and Derek Weisensel combined for a no-hitter to help Minnesota Valley Lutheran earn its first win of the season, downing Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart 7-1 on Tuesday in a Tomahawk Conference baseball game.

Marotz earned the win as he pitched five innings, giving up no hits, one earned run, walking three batters and striking out seven. Weisensel went two innings, giving up no runs and no hits. He struck out one.

“It came together today for us (defensively and offensively),” MVL head coach John Gunderson said. “Marotz and Weisensel had a good outing. It all gave us a boost of confidence today.”

Elijah Stifter took the loss, going 2 2/3 innings giving up seven hits, six earned runs, he walked four batters and he struck out two.

BLHS’s lone run came in the fourth inning. Stifter, Dylan Maiers and Nathan Schultz drew walks to load the bases. Kaden Zanoth hit into a double play, scoring Stifter.

“We conceded the run for the double play,” Gunderson said. “Getting those two outs was a big thing for us.”

MVL drew first blood in the second inning. Weisensel singled and scored on a Franklin Selvey bunt for MVL’s first run. Matthew Rieger walked and he scored on an Owen Rich single.

The Chargers erupted for four runs in the third inning. Theodore Giefer, Leyton Brau and Marotz drew walks. Weisensel and Mason Cox were hit by pitches. William Sanders belted a double to center field which scored Giefer and Weisensel, making it 4-0 MVL. Sanders scored on a BLHS catcher miscue. Cox’s hit by a pitch scored Brau which gave MVL a 6-0 advantage.

In the fifth inning, Cox was hit by a pitch. He moved to second base on Giefer’s bunt and he advanced to third on a fielder’s choice. Rieger belted a single to center field which scored Cox for the Chargers’ final run.

Marotz went 2 for 3 with two hits, Selvey went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI. Cox was 1 for 3 with a double and an RBI. Rieger was 2 for 2 with an RBI.

MVL (1-2) will host Sleepy Eye on Thursday.