Gladstone uses hot bats to win first game
NORWAY — Six teams took to the diamond at Marion Park here Saturday as Gladstone defeated Tri-County 15-0, Kingsford rallied to beat Escanaba 4-2 and Iron Mountain defeated Norway 10-2.
Gladstone jumped out to an early lead in the first inning as they scored five runs, two of them coming on a two-run single by Hank Doyen. Benson Ellison also drove in two runs but was thrown out trying to extend the hit to a triple.
In the second inning, Gladstone added nine runs. Abel Belanger hit a two-run triple and Doyen had a two-run double to highlight the scoring in the inning. Doyen finished the game 2 for 3 with four RBIs, two runs scored and a stolen base.
“We came in just looking to have fun,” Doyen said. “Felt good to get the hits and we all had a lot of fun.”
Gladstone added a run in the top of the third inning and took the game via mercy rule.
Escanaba got off to a fast start against Kingsford as they scored two runs in the first inning as Grant LeClaire hit a sacrifice fly to center to score a run and Hunter Ryno had an RBI-single to put Escanaba up 2-0.
Kingsford cut the deficit to one as Harvey Ellis hit a single and later scored on a passed ball. Ellis scored again in the fifth inning on an RBI-single by Liam Wodenka to tie the game. Jacob Zawada stepped up with a two-run double that would prove to be the winning runs.
“Things didn’t go my way the whole game,” Zawada said. “I kept my head up and made contact and came through in the clutch.”
Iron Mountain was in control from the start against Norway as they put four runs on the board in the first inning. Hunter Leonoff, Brolan VanOss and Brantley Church each had a hit, producing a run and another run scored on a wild pitch.
Iron Mountain led 5-0 as they went to the third inning, when Brennan Fiourucci homered to put Iron Mountain up 8-0.
Norway got on the board in the fourth inning as Rori Anderson hit an RBI-single to cut the deficit to 8-1.
Rori Anderson and Bryer Wolsker combined for six of Norway’s seven strikeouts. Wolsker in one inning gave up zero runs on one hit with two strikeouts and a walk. Wolsker was the only Norway pitcher to not surrender a run as Iron Mountain got the win.

