Rob Roos | Sault Evening News Escanaba’s Hunter Lancour deals a pitch against Cheboygan during a Division 2 district baseball championship game Saturday at Sault Ste. Marie. The Chiefs outlasted the Eskymos 1-0 in nine innings.

SAULT STE. MARIE — Pitching was at a premium in the Division 2 baseball district at Sault Ste. Marie’s James Field.

In a district where only a combined 10 runs were scored in three games Saturday, the expected championship game came down to Escanaba and Cheboygan.

The Chiefs outlasted the Eskymos 1-0 in nine innings in the final. It was a reversal of last season, where Esky beat the Chiefs by one run (5-4) to win the district.

The Eskymos finished 25-9.

“Probably one of the best baseball games I’ve been a part of,” Escanaba coach Scott Hanson said. “To play nine innings in a 1-0 game is phenomenal. We split with them down in Cheboygan just a couple weeks ago, so we knew what to expect coming into today.

“We had our two best pitchers; Jared in the first game, he pitched a gem against the Sault. Then Hunter Lancour in the second game, my gosh, I don’t think he could have pitched any better. Somebody was eventually going to bend and had to lose this game, and we were disappointed that it was us. Hat’s off to Cheboygan. Our kids are hurting right now because they put so much into this. I’m proud of our kids and our program for the way they played.”

In another pitcher’s duel, Escanaba’s Hunter Lancour and Cheboygan’s Daniel Wilcombe and Henry Stempky didn’t give up much through the regulation seven innings and into extras in a scoreless championship game.

The Chiefs finally broke through in the bottom of the ninth inning, opening the frame with a single from Tyler Balazovic and walk to Kaleb Blaskowski. Lancour reached his pitch limit at that point, and the Eskymos brought in Ben Johnson in relief. He was called for a balk before throwing his first pitch, putting runners on second and third.

With the Esky infield and outfield drawn in, the Chiefs’ Jacob Jankoviak singled up the middle to score Balazovic.

Cheboygan (30-5-1) advances to play Petoskey in at regional semifinal at Turcott Field in Petoskey Wednesday.

“Big day for the boys,” Cheboygan coach Kevin Baller said. “That was an awesome baseball game to be a part of. Escanaba is a great baseball team. They beat us in the district final last year in a similar game, although a few more runs were scored and it went extra innings. They found a way to make some plays and win it at the end last year, and we found a way to win it at the end this year.”

Lancour pitched into the ninth inning and allowed only four hits while striking out four and walking four.

Lancour, Bon LaChance, Jared Hanson and Eli Gardner had hits for the Eskymos.

Wilcombe last 5 1-3 innings and did not allow any hits while striking out seven and walking five. Stempky pitched 3 2-3 innings and scattered four hits while striking out four and walking none.

While an Escanaba vs. Cheboygan championship was the predicted title game going in, getting there would be no easy path for either team. The Eskymos had to hold off the host Sault Blue Devils 2-0, while the Chiefs dodged Marquette 4-3 in walk-off fashion in the district semifinals earlier in the day.

Esky senior Jared Hanson pitched 6 2-3 innings against the Sault, striking out 15 while giving up just three hits and walking one. Lancour made a relief appearance and retired the one batter he faced to close out the game.

Sault High sent sophomore Garrett Gorsuch to the mound for the start and he didn’t give up much either. Gorsuch allowed just two runs on four hits, struck out nine and walked one.

The game was scoreless through three innings before the Eskymos broke through with one run in the top of the fourth on a squeeze bunt from Ben Johnson.

Esky made it 2-0 with a fielder’s choice RBI to the right side of the infield hit by Trent Lawson.

“The Sault has a nice program with some good young players,” coach Hanson said. “We had to play a very good baseball game to beat them.

“I hope people appreciate the quality of pitching in this district,” Hanson said. ” (Cheboygan’s) Kevin Baller and I were talking about this just recently, that we probably had the four best pitchers in Northern Michigan here today with their two seniors and our two seniors. They are all going to play in college.

“The young Sault pitcher Gorsuch did a great job too. If you like hitting and offense, it was kind of a quiet day. But if you like pitching and defense, I don’t think you could ask for much more.”

Jared Hanson also helped his own cause, going 2-for-3 from the plate, while Lancour and Matthew Zimmerman had one hit each.

Sault High finishes 17-13-2. Ethan Chambers, Jack Bach and Jonah DeNuccio-McShane had hits for the Blue Devils.

“I thought our guys played outstanding baseball,” Sault High coach Kris Bontrager said. “That’s the third D-I pitcher we’ve faced this season. We had some go at-bats, but we couldn’t get the one big hit we needed. We had guys in scoring position but couldn’t bring them in.”