Ryan Stieg | Marquette Mining Journal Members of the Escanaba High School baseball team celebrate in the infield after they won the MHSAA Division 2 district tournament title by defeating Marquette in the championship game on Saturday in Marquette.

MARQUETTE — On a warm Saturday afternoon, it didn’t take long for the bats of the Escanaba baseball team to heat up as well.

After dispatching Cheboygan 5-4 in a thriller during the MHSAA Division 2 district tournament semifinals earlier in the day, the Eskymos took advantage of early opportunities and never looked back as they defeated Marquette 9-5 to win their first district championship since 2016.

“First of all, winning the district any year is a grind,” Esky coach Scott Hanson said. “We found that out Saturday. The guys are off the charts excited. The battle right now is them wanting to play, (and they do).”

“That Cheboygan game was one of the best I’ve been a part of. Cheboygan was a very good team, and we got down early. We started Jared (Hanson), and he had some arm issues. I had to throw Hunter Lancour into the fire after one (inning). I can’t explain how well he battled and how well he pitched against a good batting team.

“The plays that were made by both teams was some really good baseball.”

The Redmen got on the scoreboard first, plating two runs in the top of the first inning, with Peter VandenAvond scoring on a fielder’s choice by Justin Wenk. Brady Wright was then brought home on a fielder’s choice by Jacob Knauss, and Marquette led 2-0.

Escanaba wasn’t deterred, though. With two outs in the bottom of the frame, Hunter Lancour got the offense going with a base hit. Three batters later, he scored on a bases-loaded hit batsman.

Ben Johnson — who made an impressive defensive play in the opener, throwing from the deepest part of shortstop for an out — then reached base on a costly fielding error, which plated another run. Matthew Zimmerman then cranked a line single that scored another two runners for an Eskymos’ 4-2 lead.

EHS kept rolling in the second. Tyler Lawson led off with a hit, and two batters later, Lancour hit a single. Then on a strange play, Lawson appeared to score on a bunt attempt. The baserunner was originally ruled out for interference, but after a discussion, it was ruled the throw was uncatchable and Lawson’s run counted.

Nick Kolich followed with an RBI single, and another run came home on a fielder’s choice from Hanson. Escanaba now held a 7-2 advantage.

Esky picked up single runs in the fourth and sixth, each on hits by Johnson, to make it 9-2.

“It was such a team effort,” coach Hanson said. “Everybody did something, everybody did their job, and that’s a huge thing in baseball. Certain people stepped up, but everyone did their job.”

Marquette mounted a rally in the top of the seventh, keyed by an RBI double from Wright and RBI single from Wenk, but the Redmen could only manage to get the deficit to four runs in the end.

Colin Arnt started and pitched six innings. He struck out one with two base on balls. Arnt allowed a total of three runs, all earned, off of two hits.

Riley Lamb closed the game and had one strikeout while giving up three hits for two earned runs.

Zimmerman went 2-2 at the plate with a pair of RBIs. Johnson (2-4) also had two RBIs for Escanaba.

Nick Kolich (2-3, walk), Hunter Lancour (2-4) and Bryant Maki (0-2, walk) all scored two runs each in the game.

Kolich and Lancour each had an RBI as well.

“He (Arnt) settled in after the first inning and pitched very well,” coach Hanson said. “He hasn’t had an opportunity to pitch a ton in the past.”

Brady White started atop the mound and threw for six for the Redmen. White had one strikeout with three walks. He gave up nine hits for nine runs (3 ER).

Erik Johnson pitched the final inning for Marquette. He put down two Eskymos at the plate and allowed one hit.

At the plate, White was 3-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.

Justin Wenk (1-3, walk) and Jacob Knauss each had two RBIs for the Redmen while VandenAvond (2-3) scored twice.

Escanaba travels to Petoskey Wednesday for the regional opener.