GLADSTONE---Aedan Creten hit a three-run homer and Issac Ketchum tossed 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief as the Gladstone Indians beat the Marquette Blues, 6-2, Wednesday night at Don Olsen Field.
The win for Gladstone came after a 2-2 weekend against tough competition at a tournament in Antigo, Wis. The Indians improved to 7-5 on the season.
For the Blues (9-10), the loss is their fourth straight and fifth in their last six games.
Issac Sarles got the ball for the Blues, not a surprise considering he has pitched nearly every time Marquette faced Escanaba or Gladstone in high school and Legion ball.
Sarles has done a nice job against both Delta County teams, but Wednesday night, he was hit hard and did not survive the third inning.
An error and a walk put two men on base in the first inning for Gladstone, then Braden Sundquist ripped an RBI single to make it 1-0. Creten followed with a sacrifice fly, and Noah Peterson's groundout made it a 3-0 Indians lead.
The Blues got a run back in the top of the third inning on a hit by Logan Peterson, a throwing error by Tyler Darmogray, and an RBI single by Gibby Jezewski. But the bottom of the third inning was a nightmare for Sarles and the Blues, as Gladstone got seven base hits and scored three times. And they could have had even more runs.
Darmogray led off with a base hit, then Casey Alworden and Braden Sundquist followed with base hits. Darmogray tried to score on the play, but put on the brakes between third and home, fell down, and got tagged out after getting into a pickle.
That brought up Creten, and the lefty battled Sarles to a 3-2 count before launching one over the right field fence for a three-run homer, giving Gladstone a 6-1 lead.
When Noah Peterson followed with a base hit, Sarles was replaced on the mound by Dakota Maki. And he was greeted by base hits from Ketchum and Trevor Thorbahn, loading the bases with one out. But two great defensive plays stopped the bleeding for the Blues, with Davin Mattonen's rocket to left field caught by Weston Yesney, and Cooper Sanville's soft grounder played well by shortstop Morgan Robar.
Gladstone also had some good defensive plays, with Ketchum making two outstanding grabs in left field and Mattonen easily throwing out a man trying to steal second base.
Yesney came up with another catch to rob Alworden in the fourth inning, and the Blues put together a rally in the fifth inning.
Keith Judici walked with one out, Logan Peterson had another in a long line of bunt singles, and Gibby Jezewski smacked a base hit to center field to load the bases.
Easton Miller drew a bases-loaded walk to cut the deficit to 6-2, and that was all for Thorbahn on the mound as Ketchum came on to throw with the bases loaded. He made some big pitches with the tying run at the plate, striking out Jake Toyras and getting Sarles to bounce out, ending the threat.
Ketchum allowed only one baserunner the rest of the way.
Both teams stranded nine baserunners, with Gladstone leaving them loaded twice.
Gladstone travels to Niagara for a game Thursday night, and plays in Escanaba under the lights Friday night at 7:30. Marquette hosts Bark River Thursday evening.
