Cubs Suffer Soggy, Late-Night Setback In Marinette

MARINETTE, Wis.---Wherever the Escanaba Cubs play baseball, it surely will rain.

That has to be the feeling after one burst of heavy rain flooded the Pederson Ballpark in Marinette, Wis., Friday night before the Cubs faced the host Marinette Legion team.

After having their own tournament shortened by rain last week, the Cubs knew what the Marinette people were going through.

But after 1 hour, 48 minutes, they got the field just ready enough for baseball, and the teams began playing at 9:18 C.T.

The Cubs got off to a good start, taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but lost to Marinette, 12-2, in a game shortened by the mercy rule in the fifth inning. Even with that, the game ended at 11:00 C.T., midnight back in Escanaba.

The Cubs scored two runs in the first inning when Jake Anderson singled, and Tyler Willette was safe at first when the throw on his bunt went late to second base. With one out, Cody Frappier smoked one to left field to drive home two runs, giving Escanaba the lead.

But Escanaba is depleted in the bullpen. With ace Justin Popelka missing due to a pulled wisdom tooth, and a couple of veterans choosing not to come out for the team, Cubs Manager Jon Bintner is looking to some younger kids to eat up some innings.

Enter Noah Lancour. And he did fine in the first inning, retiring Marinette 1-2-3.

But things went downhill from there as Lancour allowed ten runs on seven hits in 3 1/3 innings, the last hit being a long two-run homer by Adam Wahl in the fourth inning.

Jake Anderson, who hasn't pitched in two years, and Logan Lamb finished up. Cubs pitchers walked seven batters, and hit seven others with pitches.

Marinette picther Johnny Sawinski, who will play at Ripon College next spring, struck out seven batters in five innings of work.

But the Cubs did have their chances against him, loading the bases in the third inning on hits by Frappier, Lamb, and a beautiful bunt single by Sam Hall. Escanaba got nothing, however, when Drew Serrer hit ba shallow fky ball to center field for the second out, and Frappier was thrown out at the plate trying to tag up and score on the play.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos taken by Sheila Olsen.