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STAYING ALIVE: Escanaba Knocks Out Gladstone
 ESCANABA---The Escanaba Major Boys Little League All-Star team (age 11-12) won its third straight game in the district tournament's losers bracket Friday night, eliminating rival Gladstone, 6-4, at Dickson Field. Johnny Weinert's RBI single with one out in the top of the fifth inning broke a 4-4 tie, and then Cannon Arnt came through with an RBI single to make it a two-run game. Escanaba pitcher Bon LaChance came within a whisker of throwing a complete game, but an error extended the bottom of the sixth inning. Gladstone had runners on second and third with two out, but Bryson Lancour got Casey Alworden to ground out to end it. Escanaba had a 2-0 lead in the first inning as Gavin Sommers singled home a run, and then the lead grew to 4-0 in the third inning as Weinert had a run-scoring hit. But Gladstone roared back in the bottom of the inning as Nick Matthews singled home one run and John Soderman doubled home another. An error and wild pitch helped to get the game tied up at 4-4, before the Escanaba boys scored in the fifth inning. Escanaba won despite a diving catch in center field by Matthews in the fifth inning, temporarily robbing the hosts of the tiebreaking run. Escanaba Manager Paul LaChance chose to pitch around Gladstone's top hitter, Nate Young, who had pitched Gladstone to a 9-1 win over Escanaba earlier in the week. LaChance pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on four hits. Matthews tossed the first two innings for Gladstone, with Soderman throwing the final four and taking the loss. He allowed two runs on seven base hits. Escanaba tries to keep it going Saturday night in a district finals match-up against Iron Mountain North. Game time is 7:00 and it will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (NewsTalk 600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com. If IM wins, they will win the district and head to downstate St. Clair for the state finals. If Escanaba wins, there will be a winner-take-all game Sunday night at 6:00. |
