Escanaba Cubs Lose Twice At UP Zone Tournament

ESCANABA---The Escanaba Cubs American Legion Baseball team lost two close games Thursday night in the Upper Peninsula Zone Five Tournament in Escanaba.

The Cubs gave up three runs in the first inning and lost to Marquette, 4-0, then dropped a heartbreaker to Iron Mountain, 2-1, in the late game.

The Gladstone Indians, meanwhile, beat the Negaunee Diamonds, 10-0, in Gladstone.

MARQUETTE 4, ESCANABA 0---The Blues scored three runs in the first inning to take control of the game. Two of the runs came in on a base hit past a drawn-in third baseman by Jon Jason.

The third run scored on a Hogan Nemitz groundout.

Escanaba loaded the bases in the second inning as Marquette pitcher Brendan Kaski walked two batters and gave up a base hit to Zeke Strand. But Connor Aiken grounded out to end the threat.

Marquette scored its final run in the third inning when Holden Shaneberger walked and eventually scored on a wild pitch. The Blues left the bases loaded in both the third and fifth innings.

The Cubs had one more chance in the seventh inning when Noah Lancour singled and Austin Bourdeau was safe on an error. Lancour was thrown out trying to advance to third base, but Aiken and Jake Anderson both drew walks to load the bases. Hunter Lancour grounded out, however, to end the game.

Kaski pitched the whole way for Marquettem allowing two hits. Brett Schlenvogt took the loss, throwing 2 1/3 innings, giving up all four runs. Noah Lancour pitched 1 2/3 innings in relief, and Aiken finished up with two scoreless innings.

IRON MOUNTAIN 2, ESCANABA 1---In the late game against Iron Mountan, Escanaba ace Johnny Schlenvogt pitched another great game, but just like in several previous low-scoring games, couldn’t get any run support.

Riley Lamb’s RBI single gave Escanaba a 1-0 lead early in the game, but in the fifth inning, the Golds’ Caleb Johnson came through with a two-run double to the fence, after Trey Doda was safe on an outfield error and CJ Bolo singled.

Escanaba, just like in the loss to Marquette, went down swinging. Schlenvogt drew a one-out walk in the seventh inning, and Drew Rodman bunted him to second. But Bolo, who will play baseball at Grand Valley State University, was able to get Zeke Strand to bounce out to end the game.

Johnson started for Iron Mountain, throwing 43 pitches, followed by Doda, who threw 45. Bolo finished up with 20 pitches in the seventh inning to earn the save. Doda got the victory. Schlenvogt took another bitter loss for Escanaba, coming on the heels of 1-0 losses to both Bark River and Gladstone.

Escanaba closes the season on Friday against the Copper Country Flames.

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