Local Sports

Heading to states, Gladstone trips Bucs, both go to Menominee

GLADSTONE -- The first two innings made a big difference for the Gladstone Indians Sunday as they earned a 6-3 American Legion baseball victory over the Bark River Buccaneers in the Class A Zone 5 title game at Don Olsen Field.

Braeden Lamberg led off the first with a home run to right field. The Indians then scored three times in the second for a 4-0 lead.

"It was nice to get started early," said Gladstone manager Justin Jurek. "You tend to play a little more relaxed on defense and it's easier on your pitcher when you have a cushion to work with."

The defending state champion Indians (22-5) meet Trenton in Thursday's state tourney opener at 10 a.m. in Menominee. The winner faces Hudson at 4 p.m.

Bark River (21-15) makes its first state tournament appearance Thursday at 1 against Gaylord in the double-elimination event.

Ian Schwalbach scored Gladstone's second run on a bases-loaded walk to Dan Martin and Jared Crow's two-run single to left made it 4-0.

Sam Hall's single to center got the Bucs on the board in the fourth and Logan Heim's sacrifice fly to center trimmed their deficit to 4-2 in the fifth.

"We dug ourselves in an early hole," said Bark River manager Matt Richer. "It's hard to come back from four runs against a team of their caliber. The kids tend to be hard on themselves when they get down like that. We just told them to get it back a run at a time and It boosted our spirits a little when we made it 4-1. The guys started smiling again."

Gladstone got a run back in its half of the fifth on Lamberg's sacrifice fly to center and made it 6-2 when Schwalbach was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the sixth.

Bark River's Zach Englund ended the scoring on a throwing error in the seventh.

"They (Bucs) played tough the whole game," said Jurek. "The guys weren't happy with losing to them (4-1) on Friday. Our bats came around a little and the guys came out with some fire today."

Ben Kelly took the win, striking out two, walking two and allowing two runs on six hits through six innings.

Losing pitcher Matt Richer Jr. fanned one, walked two, hit two batters and gave up four runs on four hits through two frames.

"Ben pitched real well," said Jurek. "He didn't let it bother him when they got baserunners. They have a lineup full of hitters. One through five, they're solid."

Gladstone collected nine hits, including two each by Lamberg, Crow and Cooper Cavadeas. Hall had two of Bark River's six hits.

"Ben pitched a great game," said manager Richer. "He kept us off balance. We needed a clutch hit with a couple guys on, but it didn't happen."

Crow fired a one-hitter Saturday as the Indians blanked Marquette 4-0 in a semifinal game at Escanaba. He whiffed eight and walked none and Cody Frappier went 4-for-4.

Bark River unleashed a 13-hit attack in an 8-5 victory over the Sault Ste. Marie-based Eastern U.P. Travelers in Saturday's semifinal at Gladstone.

Zach Englund led the Bucs with three hits. Duane Englund added two hits, including a three-run homer to left in the sixth. Kadin Musfafa and Richer also had two hits.

Sault had 10 hits, including two apiece by Gavin Fenstermaker, Jim Storey, Trent McDowell and Dalton Graham.

The Bucs began Saturday with a 7-5 loss to Copper Country.

Copper Country scored three times on six straight walks for a 7-1 lead in the third. The Bucs scored twice in the sixth and concluded the scoring on Duane Englund's two-run shot to left in the seventh.

Eli Oldt, Justin Norkel and Carter Nettel had two hits each for the Flames (6-13).

Esky's season ended Friday night in a 5-2 loss to Sault. The Cubs finished 3-20.