Schwalbach RBI's Not Enough As Braves Fall In TC

TRAVERSE CITY---Ben Schwalbach had a pair of run-scoring doubles, but the Gladstone Braves baseball team made too many errors and lost to Traverse City St. Francis, 5-3, Friday evening in Traverse City.

The Braves had the lead twice, but couldn't hold it either time.

Schwalbach's first RBI double came into the left field corner in the first inning, sccoring A.J. Lundberg with the first run of the game.

The Braves stranded runners at second and third, however, when Braeden Lamberg struck out to end that inning.

The Gladiators (20-8) tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a Gladstone infield error behind starting pitcher Clay Cole. It stayed tied until the fourth inning, when Owen Hanson led off with a base hit, got bunted to secomd base by Lamberg, and scored on a base hit by Hunter Botruff.

That gave the Braves a 2-1 lead on the road.

But then came the bottom of the fourth inning, when things turned ugly for Gladstone. Cole gave up a pop fly base hit to Cooper Peterson to start the inning, and McAndrews followed with a sharply-hit fly ball to center field. Botruff made the catch, but his throw back to second base was in the dirt, and the Braves missed out on a sure double play.

The inning continued with two more errors, Cole was called for two balks (with one scoring a run), and with his pitch count high, Cole walked two batters, including one with the bases loaded.

Hanson was brought in to pitch for the Braves, and he gave up an RBI single to leadoff bater Danny Passinault. Hanson got the final two outs of the inning, but the damage was done.

Gladstone (13-11) trailed 5-2, but battled back in the fifth inning as Schwalbach, who was robbed of extra bases on a running catch by TCSF left fielder Peter McAndrews in the third inning, came through with his second RBI double of the game, making it 5-3. A wild pitch moved Schwalbach to third base, but Hanson flew out.

The Braves had their best chance to come back in the sixth inning when they loaded the bases with one out on three straight Gladiator errors. But TCSF brought the infield in defensively, and Cole bounced into a force play for the second out. Daniel Martin then flew out to center field to end the threat, leaving the bases loaded.

Gladstone had three straight fly-outs in the seventh inning to end the game.

Cole took the loss on the mound, pitching 3 1/3 innings, allowing five runs (three earned) on three hits, three walks, and three balks. Lon Rogers was the winner for St. Francis, giving up three runs (two earned) on five hits in four innings of work.

Gladstone traveled to Cadillac after Friday's game, and will take part in the Cadillac Invitational on Saturday. Their first opponent will be Beaverton, at sometime between 11:00 and 11:30.
The game will be broadcast live on-line at www.rrnsports.com, as well as on WCHT-AM (600), The radio portion of the broadcast will start at 12:00 noon.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos and videos taken by Rob Cooper.

Date	Time	Opponent	Score	Record

4/15	4:00 PM	Ladysmith, Wis.	5 - 6 (L)	0-1

4/16	2:00 PM	Goodhue, Minn.	13 - 11 (W)	1-1

4/16	5:00 PM	Prentice, Wis.	11 - 7 (W)	2-1

4/23	1:00 PM	at Appleton North Lightning	2 - 3 (L)	2-2

4/23	3:00 PM	at Appleton North Lightning	3 - 9 (L)	2-3

4/26	4:30 PM	Negaunee Miners	14 - 6 (W)	3-3

4/28	4:30 PM	Norway Knights	3 - 4 (L)	3-4

4/29	5:30 PM	at Green Bay Preble	0 - 3 (L)	3-5

4/30	12:00 PM	at Wausau West Warriors	0 - 4 (L)	3-6

4/30	3:00 PM	at D.C. Everest Evergreens	5 - 10 (L)	3-7

5/2	4:00 PM	at Superior Central Cougars	14 - 0 (W)	4-7

5/2	6:00 PM	at Superior Central Cougars	20 - 0 (W)	5-7

5/3	5:00 PM	at Escanaba Eskymos	3 - 3 (T)	RAIN

5/5	4:00 PM	at Marquette Redmen	1 - 0 (W)	6-7

5/5	6:00 PM	at Marquette Redmen	5 - 2 (W)	7-7

5/6	4:30 PM	Peshtigo Bulldogs	0 - 2 (L)	7-8

5/9	4:00 PM	at Norway Knights	0 - 1 (L)	7-9

5/9	6:00 PM	at Norway Knights	0 - 2 (L)	7-10

5/12	4:30 PM	Escanaba Eskymos	2 - 1 (W)	8-10

5/13	4:30 PM	Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils	4 - 0 (W)	9-10

5/13	6:45 PM	Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils	5 - 3 (W)	10-10

5/14	12:00 PM	at Southern Door H.S., Wis.	6 - 4 (W)	11-10

5/18	4:00 PM	at Negaunee Miners	5 - 0 (W)	12-10

5/18	6:00 PM	at Negaunee Miners	4 - 2 (W)	13-10

5/20	5:00 PM	at Traverse City St. Francis	3 - 5 (L)	13-11

5/21	11:00 AM	at Beaverton	1 - 2 (L)	13-12

5/21	1:00 PM	Big Rapids	4 - 0 (W)	14-12

5/23	4:30 PM	Houghton Gremlins	4 - 0 (W)	15-12

5/23	6:30 PM	Houghton Gremlins	8 - 3 (W)	16-12

5/27	4:30 PM	Marquette Redmen	3 - 2 (W)	17-12

5/27	6:30 PM	Marquette Redmen	- (T)	RAIN

5/30	6:30 PM	Escanaba Eskymos	4 - 3 (W)	18-12

6/4	11:30 AM	Superior Central Cougars	15 - 0 (W)	19-12

6/4	2:45 PM	Negaunee Miners	13 - 1 (W)	20-12

6/11	12:00 PM	Kalkaska High School	5 - 3 (W)	21-12

6/11	2:00 PM	Boyne City	7 - 2 (W)	22-12