The wild summer-long ride for the Negaunee Major Little League All-Star baseball team came to an end on Monday as the UP boys lost to Lexington, Kentucky, 6-1, in an elimination game in suburban Indianapolis. The loss ended the Great Lakes Regional Tournament run for Negaunee, after a five-week odyssey that started with district tournament blowouts in Calumet, and improbable six-game run at the state tournament in Saginaw that included a pair of nailbiters, and then the trip to the Hoosier state for the first time in program history.
The Little League Baseball Great Lakes Regional tournament is underway in suburban Indianapolis, and it got off to a rough start for the Negaunee Major All-Stars. The Michigan state champions lost to Hamilton West Side (Ohio), 8-0, to drop into the loser's bracket of the five-team event. Negaunee Manager Joe Dost says the tournament is far from over, the kids are having fun, and are mostly unaware of just what they've accomplished.
The Kingsford Greens captured the American Legion Baseball Class A state championship on Sunday, beating Stevensville-Lakeshore on their own field, 8-4, in a winner-take-all contest. The Greens had lost to that team in a testy game earlier in the tournament, but picked up a 5-2 win on Saturday to force this Sunday baseball. This group of ten kids from Kingsford and Norway combined to form this team, after both high school squads had successful seasons. And now, they share a state championship trophy together.
The baseball season came to a premature end for the Post 44 Blues on Saturday as they lost to the Sault Ste. Marie (Ontario) Black Sox, 7-2, in the Michigan Veterans Baseball state tournament in Gaylord. The Blues opened the tournament with two wins, but were battered by Gaylord Friday night and then got off to a slow start Saturday that spelled the end of a successful summer of baseball for the organization.
The Escanaba Cubs first appearance in the American Legion Class AA state tournament in more than a decade came to an end on Friday with a 5-2 loss to Adrian Post 285 at Northwood University in Midland. The Cubs finished the tournament with a 1-2 record, and closed a successful summer season with a 17-9-2 record.
The Kingsford Greens American Legion Baseball team opened Class A state tournament play on Thursday with a 9-5 victory over the Three Oaks Oakers in the far southwest Lower Michigan town of Stevensville. The Greens scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a 5-5 tie in a game played under sweltering 90-degree heat that was amplified by the artificial turf on the field.
The American Legion Baseball Class Double A state tournament got under way on Thursday under scorching heat at Northwood University in Midland. The Escanaba Cubs beat Big Rapids, 14-2, in their first game, but suffered a power outage in the second game, losing 5-0 to Bay City.
The Post 44 Blues (Marquette-Negaunee) turned in two dominating performances on Thursday as the Michigan Veterans Baseball League began its Under-19 state tournament in the Gaylord area. The Blues dusted off the Ironwood A's, 16-0, and then blanked the Sault Ste, Marie (Canada) Black Sox, 7-0, in a tournament plagued by heavy rain, lightning, and lots of delays. Post 44 pitching allowed only one base hit in each of its victories.
The dream continues for the Negaunee Major Little League All-Star (age 10-12) baseball team. And the boys don't want to wake up any time soon. Negaunee won the first state Major Baseball championship in program history Wednesday night, beating Plymouth-Canton, 10-5, under the lights at Saginaw South Little League. The win sends Negaunee into the Great Lakeas Regional Tournament next month in Indiana, just one step away from a trip to Williamsport.
The Negaunee Major Little League All-Stars (age 10-12) are now one win away from a state championship. The boys battled Southern Grand Rapids in the state semifinals under the lights Tuesday night in Saginaw and pulled out a 1-0 win to advance to Wednesday's championship game.
The Negaunee Major Little League All-Stars (age 10-12) cruised past Mattawan in the state quarterfinals Monday night, 10-5, under the lights at South Saginaw Little League. Negaunee took advantage of early Mattawan mistakes to take a 5-0 lead and constantly built to that lead throughout the game, holding off several comeback attempts by the District 15 champions. And Negaunee advances to the state semifinals, set for Tuesday night at 7:00, against Southern Grand Rapids.
The Negaunee Major Little League All-Stars (age 10-12) finished pool play undefeated on Sunday with a 10-3 win over Ira Township at the Michigan State Tournament in Saginaw. With both teams already assured of a spot in the state quarterfinals, each used three different pitchers and used it as a tune-up game.
The tournament trail came to an end on Sunday for the Gladstone Major Little League All-Star baseball team. Gladstone rallied from a 6-1 deficit to tie the game against Taylor North, but lost on a three-run homer by Taylor's Brexton Runyon, 9-6, in the state tournament pool play finale at South Saginaw Little League. Gladstone ends up finishing 0-3 at the state tournament despite scoring 24 runs in those three games. That's normally enough to win games at this level, but Gladstone lost because it gave up 36 runs in those three games.
The Post 44 Reds 15u baseball team won two tight games on Sunday to take the state championship of the newly-formed Michigan Vetarans Baseball league, 3-2 and 4-3 over the Sault Ste. Marie (Ontario) Black Sox. The games were moved to Marquette's Haley Field after heavy rains caused flooding at the tournament site in Felch.
The Escanaba Minor Little League All-Star softball team (age 8-10) finished pool play undefeated on Sunday with a 4-2 win over Georgetown at the Michigan State Tournament in Cheboygan. The girls will play in the state quarterfinals on Monday.
The Post 44 White Diamonds from Marquette County completed their journey through the loser's bracket Sunday by beating the Menominee Red Wave, 7-6, in eight innings, to win the 17-and-under state championship of the new Michigan Veterans Baseball league.
The Negaunee Major Little League All-Stars (age 10-12) won their second state tournament game on Saturday in dramatic fashion, beating West Branch, 5-4, in seven innings, to earn a spot in the state quarterfinal round. Kallen Johnson's RBI double over the left fielder's head in the bottom of the seventh inning gave Negaunee a walk-off victory in a game that was played well by both teams.
The Escanaba Minor Little League All-Stars (age 8-10) won their second straight game in pool play on Saturday at the Michigan State Tournament in Cheboygan. Escanaba held off Bullock Creek Southtown from the Midland area, 5-2, to take a prime undefeated spot in the pool standings.
The Gladstone Major Little League All-Stars (age 10-12) lost their second pool play game Saturday morning at the Michigan State Tournament in Saginaw.
It was another high-scoring game, with Gladstone falling to Muskegon Roosevelt Park, 15-11, at North Saginaw Township Little League.
The Marquette Minor Little League All-Star (age 8-10) baseball team won the District Eleven championship by running the table on four mercy rule victories. The championship game saw Marquette beat Ishpeming, 15-3.
The Negaunee Major Little League All-Stars (age 10-12) opened state tournament play in Saginaw with a win over one of the best programs in the state of Michigan. Negaunee topped Midland Northeast, 4-1, as Nathan Harvala threw a complete-game one-hitter and Thomas Dix drove in all four runs with a three-run homer and RBI single.
Amaya Humbert threw a complete-game two hitter, striking out 13 batters, as the Escanaba Minor Girls (age 8-10) opened state tournament play Friday with an impressive 10-0 win over Grosse Pointe in Cheboygan. Humbert was also strong at the plate, cracking a triple and a home run. Isla McCarty also hit a home run for Escanaba, and Livvy Nolde had a triple, single, and stole three bases.
The Gladstone Major Little League All-Stars (age 10-12) lost their state tournament opener on Friday, falling to Mattawan, 12-7, in Saginaw Township. Jaxdon Quigley had a three-run homer and Avery Silta had a two-run double in a losing effort.
The Gladstone and Negaunee Major Boys Little League Baseball teams (age 10-12) arrived in Saginaw on Thursday as the 16-team state tournament is set to start Friday morning. There was a picnic for the kids and their families, and then a home run derby which served as a fun event, and as a fundraiser for Saginaw Little League, as kids were charged $10 each for ten swings.
The Gladstone Major Girls Little League softball team (age 10-12) finished state tournament pool play with a 3-0 record after beating Marquette, 7-1, Saturday in Lower Michigan. Marquette finished the tournament with an 0-3 record.
The Michigan Veterans Baseball/American Legion tournament was called off on Saturday when two batches of heavy rain fell on the Sault Ste. Marie area, making the fields unplayable. The six-team toournament managed to get all of its games played on Friday, with each team getting to play twice.
The Gladstone Major Little League All-Star softball team cruised to their second straight state tournament victory on Friday, turning back local entry Constantine Little League, 15-1, in downstate Schoolcraft. Reagan Carter and Kamryn Ayotte combined to throw a no-hitter, the second straight "no no" for Gladstone. A ten-run fourth inning was the difference, as Gladstone batted around (and then some) against Constantine pitcher Zoe Grimage.
The Negaunee Major Little League All-Star team (age 10-12) ran the table to win the District Eleven championship in dominating fashion up in Calumet. The boys captured the district banner with an 8-1 win over Portage Lake Friday night, earning a trip to next week's state tournament in Saginaw. Negaunee also beat Portage Lake last Monday, 10-0, and dominated Keweenaw, 20-0, on Wednesday.
The Gladstone Major Little League All-Stars (age 10-12) opened state tournament play on Thursday with an easy 19-0 win over the District 16 champions from Tecumseh.
The Marquette Major Little League All-Star softball team (age 10-12) fell behind 4-0 in their state tournament opener on Thursday against Taylor North. The girls rallied late, but came up short, 4-2, in downstate Schoolcraft.
