ADRIAN---The American Legion Baseball state tournament began on Thursday on the campus of Adrian College, and Delta County's teams got off to a good start.
The Gladstone Indians pounded Hancock, 15-1, and then the Escanaba Cubs shut out Ida, 7-0. But because of an unfavorable spot on the six-team state tournament bracket, the Indians had to later face the host Hudson team, and Gladstone lost, 2-0.
So on Friday, Escanaba will face Hudson in a winner's bracket game, while Gladstone will have to take on Gladwin in a loser's bracket game...and then play again if they win.
GLADSTONE 15, HANCOCK 1---The Indians took advantage of six Hancock errors to build a big lead early, and then rolled to the win on the five-inning mercy rule.
Gladstone scored one run in the first inning, four in the second, and then five runs in both the fourth and fifth innings.
Christian Groleau had an RBI triple in the fourth inning, then he ripped an RBI double in the fifth.
Hayden Hardwick and Christian Tackman also had RBI singles in that fifth inning.
The highlight for Gladstone was Jake Pearson's two-run, inside-the-park home run that would have only been a single had this game not been played on artificial turf. The ball bounced on the carpet past the Hancock right fielder and went all the way to the fence.
Hancock managed only two base hits in the ballgame, both of them by Gabe Rupright, who drove in his team's only run with a single in the second inning.
Pearson pitched the first four innings for the win, while Hunter Garling tossed the fifth inning. Mike Saari threw four innings and took the loss for Hancock.
ESCANABA 7, IDA O---Devin Olsen, Andrew Sedlar, and Brandon Punzel combined to throw a three-hitter as the Cubs opened the tournament with a 7-0 win.
Olsen threw three innings, Sedlar threw the fourth and part of the fifth, and then Punzel finished up as the Cubs advanced to the winners bracket final.
Escanaba scored four runs in the second inning to take control. David Falish singled home Hunter LaMarch, and Nick Vandermissen brought home Falish and Tim Lueneburg with a two-run single that made it 4-0.
Tyler Skufca's RBI single in the fifth inning added to the Escanaba lead.
Olsen allowed one hit and one walk in his three innings of work on the mound. Sedlar worked the fourth and fifth innings, but when he gave up a single and hit a batter in the sixth inning, Cubs Manager Tom Ohman brought in Punzel to pitch.
Punzel got out of the sixth inning jam with the help of an excellent double play started by Lueneburg at third base.
Punzel worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning.
Falish, in the lead-off spot, had two hits and two walks...a perfect 4-for-4 on-base percentage.
Vandermissen had two walks to go along with his two-run hit.
Bailey Lamb cracked a double and scored in the third inning. LaMarch was on base all four times and scored twice, and Tyler Skufca put down two bunts and had an RBI single. Jake Whaley had two hits in a losing effort for Ida.
HUDSON 2, GLADSTONE 0---The Gladstone Indians had a hard time hitting thepitching of Hudson's Tyler Nelson.
Through six innings, the Indians had just two base hits, both of them by Cody Frazer. But the Tribe made it interesting in the end.
Hudson lead-off hitter Austin Hawkins was a thorn in the side of the Indians, as he got two hits and scored both of his team's runs.
In the first inning, he singled off of Indians pitcher Justin Jurek.
He was bunted to second by Logan Milligan, went to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a sacrafice fly by Elliott Rains.
It stayed 1-0 until the fifth inning, when Hawkins was safe on an error to start the inning. Milligan, for the third time in the game, put down the sacrafice bunt. Griffin Wollett walked for the third straight time. Jurek got Rains to fly out, but Matt Rodgers got a two-out, two-strike single to put Hudson in front, 2-0.
Gladstone didn't have many scoring chances, but the boys did rally late in the game. Frazer led off the sixth inning with a single, and he stole second.
Pearson hit a fly ball to left field that was dropped. Frazer went to third, where he was held by Coach Jim Groleau.
But with the ball not back in from the outfield, Groleau took a chance and sent Frazer to the plate. They tagged Frazer out a few feet from the dish.
Gladstone had one last stand in the seventh inning. James Capodilupo came off the bench and got a clutch single to left field.
Jurek then smacked a single to left, and the tying runs were on the bases. That brought up Groleau, and he had a good at-bat. Groleau worked the count to 2-2, and lofted a fly ball to center field. It was caught, and all of a sudden, the Indians were relegated to the dreaded loser's bracket.
NEXT AT THE TOURNAMENT: Hancock will face Ida in a loser's bracket game at 9:00 in the morning Friday. Then the Gladstone Indians will take on the Gladwin Lightning at 11:30. That game will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com. Then, at 2:00, the winners of the morning games will play.
If Gladstone is in that game, then it will also be broadcast on the radio and on-line.
The winner's bracket final pits Escanaba against Hudson. Game time is 5:30. That game will be broadcast live on AM-600 and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos and videos from the tournament, taken by Kym Frazer. Also, you can listen to a couple of radio replays by clicking the AUDIO links.
The Gladstone Indians pounded Hancock, 15-1, and then the Escanaba Cubs shut out Ida, 7-0. But because of an unfavorable spot on the six-team state tournament bracket, the Indians had to later face the host Hudson team, and Gladstone lost, 2-0.
So on Friday, Escanaba will face Hudson in a winner's bracket game, while Gladstone will have to take on Gladwin in a loser's bracket game...and then play again if they win.
Gladstone scored one run in the first inning, four in the second, and then five runs in both the fourth and fifth innings.
Christian Groleau had an RBI triple in the fourth inning, then he ripped an RBI double in the fifth.
Hayden Hardwick and Christian Tackman also had RBI singles in that fifth inning.
The highlight for Gladstone was Jake Pearson's two-run, inside-the-park home run that would have only been a single had this game not been played on artificial turf. The ball bounced on the carpet past the Hancock right fielder and went all the way to the fence.
Two runs score on error on Lucas LaCosse grounder
Pearson pitched the first four innings for the win, while Hunter Garling tossed the fifth inning. Mike Saari threw four innings and took the loss for Hancock.
Olsen threw three innings, Sedlar threw the fourth and part of the fifth, and then Punzel finished up as the Cubs advanced to the winners bracket final.
Escanaba scored four runs in the second inning to take control. David Falish singled home Hunter LaMarch, and Nick Vandermissen brought home Falish and Tim Lueneburg with a two-run single that made it 4-0.
Tyler Skufca's RBI single in the fifth inning added to the Escanaba lead.
Escanaba's Nick Vandermissen two-run single
Punzel worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning.
Falish, in the lead-off spot, had two hits and two walks...a perfect 4-for-4 on-base percentage.
Vandermissen had two walks to go along with his two-run hit.
Bailey Lamb cracked a double and scored in the third inning. LaMarch was on base all four times and scored twice, and Tyler Skufca put down two bunts and had an RBI single. Jake Whaley had two hits in a losing effort for Ida.
Through six innings, the Indians had just two base hits, both of them by Cody Frazer. But the Tribe made it interesting in the end.
Hudson lead-off hitter Austin Hawkins was a thorn in the side of the Indians, as he got two hits and scored both of his team's runs.
In the first inning, he singled off of Indians pitcher Justin Jurek.
He was bunted to second by Logan Milligan, went to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a sacrafice fly by Elliott Rains.
Jake Pearson 2-run ISP homer vs Hancock
Gladstone didn't have many scoring chances, but the boys did rally late in the game. Frazer led off the sixth inning with a single, and he stole second.
But with the ball not back in from the outfield, Groleau took a chance and sent Frazer to the plate. They tagged Frazer out a few feet from the dish.
Gladstone had one last stand in the seventh inning. James Capodilupo came off the bench and got a clutch single to left field.
Jurek then smacked a single to left, and the tying runs were on the bases. That brought up Groleau, and he had a good at-bat. Groleau worked the count to 2-2, and lofted a fly ball to center field. It was caught, and all of a sudden, the Indians were relegated to the dreaded loser's bracket.
NEXT AT THE TOURNAMENT: Hancock will face Ida in a loser's bracket game at 9:00 in the morning Friday. Then the Gladstone Indians will take on the Gladwin Lightning at 11:30. That game will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com. Then, at 2:00, the winners of the morning games will play.
If Gladstone is in that game, then it will also be broadcast on the radio and on-line.
The winner's bracket final pits Escanaba against Hudson. Game time is 5:30. That game will be broadcast live on AM-600 and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos and videos from the tournament, taken by Kym Frazer. Also, you can listen to a couple of radio replays by clicking the AUDIO links.
