Negaunee Sweeps 3rd Straight Road Doubleheader

ESCANABA---The Negaunee High School baseball team swept both ends of a doubleheader on Thursday, beating the Escanaba Eskymos, 15-11 and 3-0, in Escanaba.

It was the Miners' third straight doubleheader sweep to open the season, all on the road. The Miners also won two in Gladstone Tuesday, and two in Iron Mountain Wednesday.

Negaunee is 6-0 after finishing last season with an 8-16 record.

The Eskymos fell to 4-6 after finishing last season with a 17-7 record.

Thursday;s first game was a sloppy one, with both teams making numerous errors that led to unearned runs. In fact, both teams scored seven runs in the second inning.

Adam Ogea, Alex Munson, and Logan Fish had RBI hits in the Negaunee second inning.

In the bottom half, Tyler Lawson had a two-run single and Jake Anderson contributed a RBI double.

The Miners took a 9-8 lead in the top of the third inning on an RBI single by Alex Munson and a dropped fly ball in left field. The Eskymos tied it with an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth inning, so the game went to the final inning tied at 9-9.

Things went bad for the Eskymos in the top of the sixth when they committed four errors, and the Miners made them pay with several timely hits. Rylie Nummela and Hunter Haampaa both had two-run singles during a six-run inning.

Bryant Maki had a two-run double in the bottom of the sixth for the Eskymos.

The second game was much different, although the theme was similiar in the first two innings as the Eskymos committed an error in each inning that helped the Miners grab a 3-0 lead. Grant LaMarche had a lively fastball, striking out nine batters in 5 1/3 innings of work. But he was also wild at times and walked six batters and hit another.

LaMarche walked the bases loaded in the third inning, but was able to get a strikeout and a groundout to get out of trouble. Negaunee also stranded the bases loaded in the sixth inning against LaMarche, and reliever Riley Lamb.

The story of the game was the pitching of Munson, and the defense behind them. The Eskymos made solid contact, but the Negaunee outfielders caught everything in their path. Munson carried a no-hitter into the bottom of the fifth inning,

Josh Bruntjens opened the inning with a shot up the middle that second baaeman Logan Fish couldn't quite get to, ending Munson's bid for a no-hitter. Munson then walked Jake Anderson, giving the Eskymos runners at first and second with nobody out.

It took just two pitches to end the Eskymo threat. Maki hit a screamer toward right field that Fish lunged to get to between first and second.

He caught it just above the ground, and Bruntjens, who was off and running, was doubled off of second base.

Then, the next pitch, Jared Hanson lined one that Fish caught. Inning over.

After Lamb got out of the jam in the top of the sixth, the Eskymos had one more chance

Craig Kamin roped one toward right field that was caught by first baseman Tanner Peterson, but Lawson smacked a double and LaMarche drew a walk.

That brought up Austin Willette, who has hit two home runs already this season. But this time, Munson got Willette to pop up to short, ending the ballgame.

Munson ended up with a two-hitter, issuing three walks. He struck out just two batters, but had the strong defense behind him. Munson also came on to work the final 2/3 of an inning in the opener, but did not qualify for a save.

Escanaba will try to shake off the losses with a game on the road Saturday against Green Bay Southwest. The game starts at noon ET/11 a.m. CT, and is now just a single game, weather permitting. Escanaba returns home Monday to face Marquette.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos taken by Hunter Lancour, and hear post-game comments from Munson.