Braves Salvage Doubleheader Split From Sault High

GLADSTONE---It was about as ugly as it can get for a high school baseball team that truly believes that it can make some noise this spring in the state baseball playoffs.

The Gladstone Braves made five errors and other assorted mental mistakes in the first game of their doubleheader against the Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils Friday night.

That, combined with good hitting by the top of the Soo batting order, led to a 10-5 loss for the Braves that left everybody in a foul mood. But the mood improved in the second game of the doubleheader when the Braves played better and posted a 13-3 victory.

Anthony Forrest got some playing time.

The first game saw the Braves not only make defensive blunders, but also poor baserunning and other situations where plays could have been made but weren't.

"We pretty much had a 'heart-to-heart' (talk) out there in right field (after the first game ended)," Gladstone Manager Don Lauscher said. "We just told the kids that, 'it's up to you now. We can teach you all that we want, but once we go on the field, you've got to do it'."

And the Soo boys hit the ball well during that first game.

The Blue Devils got three runs off of Gladstone senior Blake Ballard in first inning on a two-run double by Frank Bailey and an RBI double by Devon Dear.

But Gladstone got three runs in the bottom of the inning on a two-run double by Tom Bailey and an RBI single by Sam Pouliot. So, it was 3-3 after one inning.

Coach Don Lauscher post-game comments.

Things fell apart defensively for Gladstone in the second inning as the Braves committed two errors and missed one other chance for a defensive play.

And the Blue Devils hit Ballard hard, scoring six runs to take a 9-3 lead. Frank Bailey had an RBI single, Dear added a two-run double, and Nick Beatty and Nate Lajoie followed with RBI singles.

Justin Jurek (2) throws as Blake Ballard (4) backs up during Friday's game.

Gladstone never did recover from that second inning, and Blue Devil pitcher Andy Krupa was strong. He allowed single runs in the second and fifth innings, but nothing more.

The Braves loaded the bases against Krupa in the bottom of the seventh inning as Justin Jurek doubled, Christian Groleau walked, and Blake Ballard was hit by a pitch.

Sam Pouliot flied out to center field, ending the game. Krupa scattered nine hits over seven innings to earn the complete-game pitching win for the Blue Devils.

Frank Bailey had three hits and drove in three runs. Dear also drove in three runs with two hits.

Ballard took the loss, pitching five innings and allowing ten runs (four earned) on ten hits. Jake Peterson pitched the final two innings, giving up no runs or hits.

Hunter Garling post-game comments.

"I didn't think that some of the kids really put a wholehearted effort," Lauscher said. "If they're going to play for us, as coaches, and if they're going to play for their school, they have to step it up a notch."

Peterson would be on the mound 30 minutes later Friday as the second game of the doubleheader was played. And the short boy known as "Rizzo" did his job, working in and out of trouble, keeping the Blue Devil hitters off-balance for most of the game.

Lucas LaCosse on in relief for the Braves.

Gladstone took a 2-0 lead in the second inning when Blue Devil pitcher Frank Bailey had problems. He walked four batters and threw two wild pitches with runners at third.

The Braves scored five more runs in the third inning as Jurek had a sacrfice fly, Garling had an RBI triple (and scored on an error on the play), and Ballard and James Capidolupo both had RBI base hits.

Then, in the fourth inning, Gladstone scored three more runs as Jurek got an RBI hit and Tommy Bailey had a two-run double.

Gladstone led, 10-0, and were in position for the mercy rule. But Lauscher also wanted to see his younger players who don't normally get a chance to play to get on the field.

In the top of the fifth, there were two errors and a bases-loaded walk that gave the Blue Devils two runs. So, there would be no mercy-killiing in this game.

Jake Peterson Bases-loaded strikeout #2

The Soo got another run in the sixth inning on an RBI single by Nate Lajoie to cut it to 10-3. But Lucas LaCosse got the final three outs, and then the game ended on the mercy rule in the bottom of the sixth when the Braves took advantage of a depleted Soo bullpen.

Gladstone scored three runs, with Peterson's pop fly single to left ending it.

Sault's Frank Bailey pitches Friday.

On the mound, Peterson faced bases-loaded situations in the third, fourth, and fifth innings.

He got two big strikeouts to end the threat in the fourth inning, and got a pop up and a strikeout to end the fifth inning threat.

But in the third inning, with the Braves leading just 2-0, Peterson needed a little help from his friends.

With the bases loaded and only one out, Zach Jodin hit a fly ball to right field. Garling caught the ball, and then threw a BB to home plate, cutting down Addison Kennedy, who had tagged up and was trying to score.

The tag was an easy one for catcher Sam Pouliot, and it stayed a 2-0 game. The Braves then scored five runs the next inning.

Lauscher was impressed by Garling's throw in a clutch situation.

Hunter Garling into third base, and then home.

"He has such a big arm for a kid his age," Lauscher said. "He just made a lazer throw. It was awesome. Every body was saying "4-4-4" and he just set himself and his feet, and stayed behind the ball, and made a great throw t0 the plate."

And what did Garling think of that play?

Gladstone's Jack Carey (22) and the Soo's Jacob Casey (1) during Friday night's game.

"We've been working on it lately (in practice)," Garling said. "I guess the ball was hit perfectly where I had a perfect throw for it."

Peterson earned the win, allowing six hits and five walks in five innings of work.

"Jake sure did a nice job tonight, didn't he?" Lauscher said. "He was just throwing strikes and was really on top of all of his pitches.

"Boy, he just did an awesome job. He's so focused, and he's such a 'baseball kid'. I knew that he was a 'gamer' to do it. Jake got ahead on all of the hitters, and that's the key tight there. Throwing strikes."

Peterson helped the Delta County Junior Baseball All-Star team win a state title last summer, earning a trip to the regionals in Fort Wayne, Ind.

Peterson says that playing high school baseball is different from what he experienced last summer.

Jake Peterson post-game comments.

"It's a little more competitive," Peterson said. "A lot bigger people, obviously! The location on my fastball (was the best) and then my curveball, keeping it low."

Gladstone (11-5) travels to Wisconsin to play Southern Door High School in a doubleheader Saturday at 2:00 (ET). There will be no radio coverage of those games.

Sault Ste. Marie (5-7) travels to Escanaba to play the Eskymos in a doubleheader Saturday at 12 noon. Those games will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600). The games will also be broadcast live over the Internet at www.rrnsports.com.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos, videos, and listen tIt'o audio highlights and interviews from the twinbill.

Sault Ste. Marie Coach Greg Rambo (left) yawns during a long night in Gladstone on Friday.

Date	Time	Opponent	Score	Record

4/20	12:45 PM	at Remus Chippewa Hills	0 - 4 (L)	0-1

4/20	3:00 PM	at Whitehall Vikings	4 - 6 (L)	0-2

4/26	4:00 PM	Negaunee Miners	4 - 3 (W)	1-2

4/26	6:30 PM	Negaunee Miners	5 - 0 (W)	2-2

4/27	12:00 PM	Sault Ste. Marie (Ontario) Black Sox	11 - 1 (W)	3-2

4/27	2:30 PM	Sault Ste. Marie (Ontario) Black Sox	10 - 1 (W)	4-2

4/29	4:00 PM	Superior Central Cougars	4 - 2 (W)	5-2

4/29	6:00 PM	Superior Central Cougars	12 - 1 (W)	6-2

5/2	4:00 PM	Marquette Redmen	10 - 2 (W)	7-2

5/4	10:00 AM	Negaunee Miners	4 - 2 (W)	8-2

5/4	5:45 PM	at Escanaba Eskymos	1 - 5 (L)	8-3

5/6	4:30 PM	Norway Knights	4 - 3 (W)	9-3

5/6	6:45 PM	Norway Knights	7 - 1 (W)	10-3

5/9	6:00 PM	at Escanaba Eskymos	8 - 14 (L)	10-4

5/10	5:00 PM	Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils	5 - 10 (L)	10-5

5/10	7:30 PM	Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils	13 - 3 (W)	11-5

5/15	4:00 PM	at Negaunee Miners	5 - 7 (L)	11-6

5/15	6:00 PM	at Negaunee Miners	4 - 2 (W)	12-6

5/18	10:00 AM	Cheboygan Chiefs	2 - 3 (L)	12-7

5/18	12:00 PM	at Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils	6 - 7 (L)	12-8

5/18	2:00 PM	at Sault Ste. Marie (Ontario) Black Sox	13 - 3 (W)	13-8

5/20	4:00 PM	at Superior Central Cougars	9 - 4 (W)	14-8

5/20	6:00 PM	at Superior Central Cougars	8 - 0 (W)	15-8

5/24	4:00 PM	at Marquette Redmen	10 - 4 (W)	16-8

5/24	6:00 PM	at Marquette Redmen	7 - 0 (W)	17-8

5/27	6:30 PM	Kingsford Legion Blues	1 - 5 (L)	17-9

5/28	6:30 PM	Escanaba Eskymos	3 - 3 (T)	17-9-1

5/31	4:00 PM	Superior Central Cougars	8 - 0 (W)	18-9-1

6/1	1:00 PM	Negaunee Miners	2 - 3 (L)	18-10-1