Gladstone left fielder Rex Kelly gets the end of the barrel of his bat on the ball during game one of a doubleheader against Calumet on April 27, 2024 at Don Olsen Field in Gladstone. ("The Big Dog" Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press)

GLADSTONE –Eight days before its doubleheader against Calumet, Gladstone baseball found itself on the losing of a rivalry matchup against Escanaba.

The 8-4 loss came off a disastrous first inning that allowed four Esky runs.

But Saturday proved that the loss was well in the Braves rear-view mirror, earning a pair of wins over Calumet on Saturday at Don Olsen Field.

The Braves, winners of four straight, improve to 9-3 on the season.

“Saturday games are always different because guys aren’t kind of in their rhythm,” Braves skipper Tyler Swanson said. “Our pitchers came out and threw strikes. That’s what we’re looking for. The bats were a little slow starting today. But in the end we came out with a couple of victories, so no complaints.”

Here’s what went down

Gladstone 6, Calumet 1

Gladstone wasted no time getting ahead on the scoreboard. The Braves first nine batters, in some shape or from, reached base in the first inning. Nate Young belted an RBI single, Gavin Frossard and Isaac Ketchum drew back-to-back bases loaded walks. Owen Mattonen and Vinny Rebholz also drew bases loaded walks, and Alworden earned a RBI sacrifice fly to give the purple and white a 6-0 lead after one.

From there, it was pitching by committee that kept the Copper Kings at bay in the batters box.

Ketchum tossed two hitless innings with five strikeouts. Young found himself in a bases loaded jam in the third. He allowed a two out, bases loaded single, but earned all three of his outs via strikeout.

Rebholz guided Gladstone through the game’s final three innings, allowing two walks and striking out seven in a hitless relief appearance.

Young finished 2-for-4 with a RBI, a run scored and a stolen base.

Gladstone 10, Calumet 0

A RBI sacrifice fly from John Soderman provided the Braves first run. Then, like a diesel engine on a January morning, the Braves at bats took a little time to get going.

That all changed in the third inning tough.

The Braves first four batter reached base in the bottom the third, feating a RBI single from Frossard for a 2-0 advantage.

RBI hits from Austin Pepin, Alworden and a wild pitch allowed Sanville to score for a 6-0 lead.

The fourth inning saw Young and Soderman reach on walks, Sanville and Ketchum both flew out for two outs. The flood gates opened when Frossard and Kelly earned back-to-back RBI singles for an 8-0 lead. Rebholz called game with a two-run double to invoke the 10-run rule.

Rebholz finished 3-for-3 with two RBI and two stolen bases. Frossard finished 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored.Alworden swiped four bases and earned one hit, one RBI and scored once.

On the mound it was once again pitching by committee.

Sanville earned the win, allowing one walk and striking out four in two innings of work.

Frossard make quick work on the mound in the third, earning a strikeout and pop out for two outs. Then he walked three-straight batters on 13 pitches.

With the bases loaded and two outs, Frossard needed one pitch to induce a groundout to end the threat and keep the combined no-hitter in tact, walking four and striking out one across two innings of work.

What’s next

After doubleheader sweeps of Manistique and Calumet, the Braves brace for a week filled with quality competition. The travel to face Kingsford on Monday and venture to Marquette on Wednesday before hosting Norway on Thursday and Southgate Anderson on Friday.

It’s also a major reason why the Braves went pitcher by committee this week.

“We’re just trying to keep everybody sharp,” Swanson said. “We’re gonna start to lengthen some guys out now as we get into conference play, be a little more traditional with that. But we’re just trying to get everybody time so that they stay sharp.”

It also allows multiple young pitcher sthe opportunity to log innings at the varsity level.

“We don’t have a true ace right now. We’re just everybody, but we’ve got four or five guys who are throwing really good, so we’re gonna keep giving them guys opportunities if they’re rolling,” Swanson said. “I’m happy with where we’re at. We got guys who are throwing strikes and doing their jobs. It’s been good.

“We’ve got guys that have played a lot of baseball, but they’re in different roles now. We got to do a good job of continuing learning and getting better, and we’re doing that right now. I’m pretty happy with where we’re at.”