DOWN TO THE WIRE: Indians Slip Past Cubs, 1-0

ESCANABA---Four pitchers combined to throw a four-hit shutout as the Gladstone Indians beat the Escanaba Cubs, 1-0, Wednesday night at Al Ness Field.

With both teams heading to a tournament this weekend in Sault Ste. Marie, neither side wanted to use any pitcher more than a couple of innings. But that did not diminish the quality of pitching by either team, and it was a game that went right down to the wire.

"This is the team that we're going to have to be from now on," Escanaba Manager Jon Bintner said. "Your starter is going to go out there and he's going to pitch two or three innings at the most, and you're going to have two guys in relief."

"It was good that they found a way to grind out the win," Gladstone Manager Justin Jurek said. "That's what we've been telling them all season, that pitching and defense is going to win this game. That's what won us the game."

The only run of the game came in the fourth inning as the Indians executed "small ball", like they have all season long.

Tyson Seymour drew a walk against Cubs left-hander Sam Hall, then Lucas Weinert put down a bunt that Hall couldn't field.

"He doesn't have a routine play at all, being a left-hander and falling away from the contact as he's pitching, and then try to go to first base and make a play," Bintner said. "(But) that's why you practice."

That put two men on base. Ben Schwalbach got jammed with an inside pitch, but was able to get the bunt down, putting runners at second and third as Cubs catcher Cody Frappier made a nice play to get Schwalbach. Then Schwalbach's brother, Ian, squeezed home Seymour.

"It was outside a little bit and I had to go get it," Ian Schwalbach said. "I got it, and I put it down pretty good, too. It just went!"

"That's the way we've worked it all season," Jurek said. "Sacrifice them over, and get him in any way you can."

That would be the only run of the game, but there was plenty of action.

In the first inning, Owen Hanson drew a walk against Escanaba starter Johnny Schlenvogt, and after he stole second, Hunter Garling got a base hit to left field.

Hanson got caught too far off of third base and got tagged out by Logan Lamb between third base and home.

In the bottom of the second inning, Escanaba loaded the bases against Gladstone starter Elliot Danhoff. Frappier led off with a hit, and Lamb and Austin Willette both drew walks.

But Danhoff recovered to strike out Noah Lancour for the second out, and he got Zeke Strand to bounce out to first base, leaving the bases loaded.

Escanaba loaded the bases again in the bottom of the third inning against Danhoff, as Schlenvogt walked, Frappier was hit by a pitch, and Lamb got a base hit. That brought up Hall, and he worked the count to 3-2.

Hall appeared to draw a walk to force home a run on a low fastball, but he was called out on strikes, ending the inning.

Then came the top of the fourth inning, when the Indians played "small ball", but there was even more action as the game moved on. Ian Schwalbach relieved Danhoff on the mound in the fourth inning, and he struck out five Cubs in his two innings of work.

But Escanaba had a chance against Schwalbach in the bottom of the fifth when Schlenvogt and Lamb walked. Hall flew out, however, to end the threat.

Cubs ace pitcher, Justin Popelka, came on to pitch in the fifth inning.

Just days after having four wisom teeth pulled out, Popelka threw well. He walked one and gave up one hit over the final three innings, keeping it 1-0, giving his team a chance.

"I was happy that Timber (Popelka) threw," Jurek said. "It gives the guys a chance to see that typre of pitching going into this weekend, because they're going to see some good pitching in the Sault. So, I was happy to see that."

In the bottom of the sixth, the Cubs got another infield hit from Austin Willette, then Lancour struck out...but the umpire ruled catcher's interference on the play, putting two men on. Strand bunted the two runners to second and third, bringing up the top of the order. Tyler Willette hit a short fly ball to Jack Stephenson in right field.

The Indians outfielder caught the ball, and Austin Willette was held at third. On the play, Lancour got confused, and was tagged out off of the bag at second, ending the inning.

"It shows our youth," Bintner said. "He's trying his best. He thought he was doing right, and he's going hard, thinking that Austin's going. You use it to instruct, and, I took him to the side and explained 'this is what you do'. He won't make those mistakes again."

So, it stayed 1-0 entering the final inning. In the top of the inning, Ian Schwalbach got a base hit, his second of the game. Quinn Downey bunted him to second, then he moved to third on a slow roller by Stephenson that Lamb made a nice play on at third base.

Hanson flew out to fight field to end the scoring chance.

In the bottom of the seventh, Schlenvogt led off with a walk against the Indians' fourth pitcher, Hanson. It was the third time Schlenvogt walked in the game. He advanced to second on a grounder, and with two out, Lamb hit a grounder to Ben Schwalbach at short. The throw was in the dirt, but Seymour scooped it at first place.

For Escanaba, Hall took the loss, allowing the one unearned run in two innings of work. Schelnvogt pitched the first two innings, taking a no-decision, and Popelka finished.

For Gladstone, Danhoff threw the first three innings, allowing two hits and two walks, striking out five batters. Ian Schwalbach got the win, throwing two innings, with five strikeouts. Brandon Cooper tossed a scoreless sixth inning in relief, and Hanson earned the save for his scoreless seventh inning on the mound.

Escanaba (4-7) faces the EUP Travelers in the Sault Ste. Marie tournament at noon on Friday. Gladstone (12-1) takes on Ida at 2:00 on the Soo's wooden bat field.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos and videos taken by Nate Bellville, and to hear post-game interviews.