Trending
GLADSTONE -- The Bark River Buccaneers began their post-season the way they wanted Friday, earning two victories in the Class A Zone 5 American Legion Baseball tournament.
Zach and Duane England combined on a two-hitter in the opener as Bark River topped defending champ Gladstone 4-1. The Bucs then hung on for a 7-6 triumph over Menominee.
Bark River (20-13) concludes pool play against Copper Country this morning at 10 at Don Olsen Field.
Semifinal games are scheduled for noon in Escanaba and Gladstone, with the championship contest set for 3 at Esky.
Duane Englund gave the Bucs a 7-3 advantage on a throwing error in the sixth inning.
The Red Wave, however, didn't just go away. Jake Rivard trimmed their deficit to 7-4 on a fielder's choice in the seventh and Kyle Struva's two-run single to rightfield made it 7-6.
Menominee had the potential tying and winning runs aboard with two out in the seventh before relief pitcher Matt Richer, Jr. struck out the final hitter.
"Those were huge wins," said Bark River manager Matt Richer, Sr. "We have talent, but we've been kind of up and down this year. The Englund boys pitched awesome today. The win over Gladstone was a big confidence boost."
After earning the save in the opener, Duane worked 6 1/3 innings for the win in the nightcap, striking out three, walking one and allowing four runs on six hits.
Bark River opened the scoring on Duane Englund's single to centerfield and gained a two-run cushion on Logan Heim's single to right in the opening frame.
Menominee climbed within 4-3 on Jason Janquart's three-run homer to left in the fourth.
Bark River responded in its half of the fourth, gaining a 6-3 cushion on Heim's two-run shot to left, setting the stage for a nail-biting finish.
"I like to change speeds and keep them (opposing hitters) guessing," said Duane. "I felt I did pretty good except for giving up the home run. He (Janquart) guessed right and made me pay. He just put that one into orbit.
Bark River collected 11 hits. Kadin Mustafa led the way with three. The Englund brothers and Heim added two each.
Matt Delfosse had three of Menominee's eight hits. Delfosse and Janquart finished with two apiece."
Bryce Tharp, who pitched five frames, absorbed the loss. He fanned three, walked two and gave up six runs on nine hits.
Zach Englund whiffed three, walked three and limited Gladstone (19-5) to two hits through 6 1/3 innings of the opener.
He also put Bark River ahead on a solo shot to left in the first and Kadin Mustafa added a two-run single in the fifth.
Dan Martin and Kaden Alworden had Gladstone's hits and Cooper Cavadeas took the loss.
"Cooper threw well," said Gladstone manager Jurstin Jurek. "They didn't hit him too hard. He just didn't get any run support. Zach pitched well for them. That was a big game for them."
Gladstone started the day put putting the finishing touches to a 9-2 victory over Menominee in a game suspended from Thursday night.
The Indians were scheduled to face Copper Country in a late contest Friday night.
Menominee beat Copper Country 10-2 prior to being eliminated from the zone tourney in its loss to Bark River. The Red Wave, however, resume by hosting the state tournament Aug. 1-4.