Terrian Goes Deep As Gladstone Majors Beat Esky

GLADSTONE---Ean Terrian had a triple and a home run, driving in two runs, as the Gladstone Major Boys Little League All-Stars (age 11-12) beat Escanaba, 16-2, in district tournament action Monday night in Gladstone. Caden Alworden added a single, triple, and three runs batted in as Gladstone got 17 hits in four innings of play.

Gladstone scored three runs in the top of the first inning. Cole Hansen had an RBI double and Drake Forrest added a run-scoring hit during that inning.

In the bottom of the inning, Escanaba's Noah Lancour put down a perfect bunt and appeared to have a single to start the inning.

But he was called out at first base.

Ayden Hanson and Jacob Anderson followed with base hits, at that surely would have given Escanaba a run or two had Lancour been safe.

But runners ended up at second and third, and Gladstone pitcher Zach Hanson got the next two outs to keep it a 3-0 game.

In the second inning, Gladstone's lead expanded to 7-0 as Terrian had an RBI triple and Alworden tripled in two runs. Then in the third inning, it was the highlight of Terrian's young baseball career. His first home run over the fence in All-Stars.

"I don't know, I just felt it," Terrian said. "I was like, 'it's going deep again'! And then, I saw our first base coach wave his hand in the air. I was like, 'oh, no. It's gone!!' I was trying to run fast, and then, it went over"

Ean Terrian with the solo home run.

In the fourth inning, Gladstone scored six more runs.

Zach Hanson had an RBI triple, and Alworden and Justin Malmstead each had run-scoring base hits. John Falcon came off the bench for an RBI hit, and Ethan Nelson also contributed an RBI double.

In the bottom of the fourth, Malmstead came on to pitch what would be the final inning of a mercy-shortened game. Escanaba's Anderson smoked one up the middle that hit Malmstead in the hand. Malmstead had the presence of mind to get the ball, and unable to grip it very well, threw it to first base. Anderson, however, was called safe.

"When I got hit, it was pretty bad," Malmstead said, with his hand wrapped in a melting ice pack. "I can barely make a fist! The last thing I remember is I hear a 'ting'. And then I see a ball right in front of me, and I was like 'oh crap!' It hit me right in the hand!"

Malmstead clearly could not continue, and there was a long delay on how to deal with the situation, given that all of Gladstone's kids had entered the game and some had re-entered.

By rule, the injured player leaves and the opposing coach picks a reserve player to fill that spot. Escanaba picked John Falcon to re-enter for a second time.

Nelson came on to pitch for Gladstone, and yielded an RBI double to Jayden Gravelle.

A second run scored on a wild pitch, but it was not enough for Escanaba to avoid the ten-run rule, which is imposed after four innings of a six-inning contest.

Both teams used four pitchers. Gladstone's Zach Hanson started, and Forrest followed. Both were kept under the 20-pitch limit, leaving them eligible to throw on Tuesday against Munising. After Malmstead got hurt, Nelson tossed the final inning."

Cole Hansen nice catch on pop up in foul territory.

Escanaba used Ayden Hanson, Gravelle, Lancour, and Austin Bourdeau. None of them will be eligible to throw Tuesday against Tri-County because they all threw more than 20 pitches Monday, requiring a day's rest.

Escanaba will face Tri-County in the loser's bracket at 5:00 Tuesday in Gladstone. In the winner's bracket game at 7:00, Gladstone will take on Munising. Both games will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.

OTHER GAMES---In the western half of the bracket, two games were played Monday night at Iron Mountain's Barkle Field. Iron Mountain North shut out Norway, 2-0, and Foster Wonders through a complete game. Menominee beat Iron County, 6-0.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos and videos taken by Laura Lamberg, and to hear replays and interviews.