Eskymos Outlast Redmen For Baseball Victory, 6-4

ESCANABA---The Escanaba Eskymos baseball team scored four runs in the first inning and held off the Marquette Redmen, 6-4, Saturday at Al Ness Field.

The win improved Escanaba's record to 8-2, with a busy week of baseball ahead.

Blake Henriksen hit a solo home run over the left field fence to give the Redmen the lead in the top of the first inning.

But in the bottom half, the Eskymos sent eight batters to the plate, scoring four times. Courage Krueger's two-run double was the big hit.

In the third inning, Marquette got a run back on an RBI single by Brendan Kaski, but the Redmen were frustrated by a called third strike call on Holden Shaneberger...and then seconds later, on a pick-off play at third base where Tyler Delmont was caught off the bag.

Escanaba took a 6-2 lead in the bottom of the third when Johnny Schlenvogt hit one into the left field corner that the wind literally pushed back into fair territory. Then Krueger smacked a base hit and Austin Willette followed with an RBI single.

Marquette got a run back in the fourth inning on a two-out bloop single to right by Erik Johnson, and then in the fifth inning, the Redmen had their chance to get even closer whe Hunter Doucette singled to lead off the inning. He was thrown out trying to steal second, and the Delmont followed with a double that would have scored him.

Eskymo starting pitcher Craig Kamin was running out of steam at that point. Kaski followed with his second hit of the game and Shaneberger walked to load the bases with one out. That brought Grant LaMarche in to get out of the jam.

He got Jakob Peterson to fly out and caught Hogan Nemetz looking to end the threat.

In the sixth inning, LaMarche gave up an infield hit but got two strike outs to end the inning. In the seventh, he walked a batter and hit another, but served up three straight ground balls. Marquette scored one, but LaMarche got the outs he needed.

Senior Aaron Young had a solid day at the plate with a single and a double. He also hit two other fly balls that made it to the warning track, but were caught. On defense, Young made a fantastic over-the-shoulder catch of a hot shot by Peterson.

Hunter Doucette pitched four innings and took the loss, giving up six runs on six hits.

Kaski tossed the final two innings in relief for Marquette (1-6 on the season).

Kamin earned the win on the mound, giving up ten hits but only three runs in 4 1/3 innings. LaMarche went 2 2/3 innings of relief, giving up just one hit and one run.

Escanaba won Saturday's JV game over Marquette, 10-0, in five innings.

Escanaba (8-2) travels to Bark River-Harris to face the Broncos on Monday. The Eskymos then travel to Marquette for a doubleheader on Wednesday, visit Gladstone for a single game on Thursday, and then host Sault Ste. Marie and Kingsford next Saturday. That's six games in five days.

Bark River-Harris has played only three games this season, winning all three. The JV game starts on Monday at 4:00, with the varsity game to follow at about 6:15.

The varsity game will be broadcast live on WUPF-FM (Eagle 107.3), and on-line at www.radioresultsnetwork.com. Just click on the Eagle page and listen live.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos, and hear post-game interviews with Young and LaMarche.