Crow, Frappier Lead Gladstone To U.P. Title Game

ESCANABA---Jared Crow pitched a complete game one-hitter on Saturday to lead the Gladstone Indians to a 4-0 win over the Marquette Blues at the U.P. Zone Five Tournament in Escanaba. Cpdy Frappier went 4-for-4 at the plate to lead Gladstone.

The Indians advanced to the U.P. championship game, and clinched a spot in next week's state tournament in Menominee. Gladstone is the defending state championz, and will join Menominee and Bark River in the tournament, along with three downstate teams.

Before that happens, however, Gladstone and Bark River will settle the Upper Peninsula championship on Sunday at 1:00 in Gladstone.

Crow was on his game, throwing a steady diet of curveballs at the Marquette batting order. Hunter Doucette got a base hit in the first inning for the Blues, and the only other two baserunners Marquette had the rest of the game came on infield errors.

Crow helped his own cause with an RBI single in the first inning, but the Indians couldn't add to the lead in the first couple of innings when they couldn't get down a squeeze.

Finally, in the third inning, Cooper Cavadeas ripped an RBI double to left field after a lengthy battle with Marquette pitcher Blake Henriksen. Then his next time up, Cavadeas came through again with an RBI single to center, making it a 3-0 game.

Braeden Lamberg added an RBI single in the sixth inning for the Indians' fourth run, which was more than enough for Crow, who struck out eight batters, with no walks.

BUCS QUALIFY FOR STATES---Bark River had to play a make-up game from Thursday's rainstorm to start the day on Saturday, and with first place in its pool already assured, Bark River coasted to a 7-5 loss to Copper Country.

Then in the semifinal, the Bucs got another home run from Duner Englund to build an 8-2 lead and then held off Sault Ste. Marie, 8-5

Logan Heim earned the win on the mound.

Because American Legion Baseball rules state that a team cannot be forced to play three games in one day, the championship game was moved to Sunday at 1:00, in Gladstone rather than Escanaba. It will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (NewsTalk 600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see video clips, listen to interviews with Jared Crow, Cody Frappier, and Coach Justin Jurek...and see photos taken by Brenda Crow.