Skufca, Punzel Pitching Keys Sweep For Eskymos

ESCANABA---The Escanaba High School baseball team didn't get very many base hits on Friday, but thanks to good pitching, the Eskymos didn't need many to post a doubleheader sweep over the Alpena Wildcats.

Tyler Skufca and Brandon Punzel earned victories on the mound and the Eskymos scratched out a pair of wins over the Wildcats, 7-2 and 6-2.

Tyler Skufca got the win in Game #1.

In the first game, Escanaba scored in the first inning when Sean Bissell walked, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a double steal.

Then in the second inning, Hunter LaMarch walked and eventually scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0.

Alpena tied the game in the third inning with two unearned runs. The first run scored on a ground out by Tyler Pintar. The other run scored on a two-out single by Brady Malwede.

That would be the only base hit the Wildcats would get in the opener.

Escanaba scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take the lead. Jack Valentine had an RBI single and LaMarch grounded out to bring in another run.

The other two runs scored on a pair of errors by the Alpena defense. In the fourth inning, the Eskymos got their final run when Bissell walked and scored on an error.

Tyler Skufca post-game comments

Skufca pitched five innings, allowing just one base hit. Ben Kleiman pitched the sixth inning, walking one batter but not allowing a run or a hit. These were six-inning games.

Alpena's Caleb Myers took the loss. He allowed only two hits, but walked seven batters, and gave up six runs (four earned) in 2 1/3 innings.

Devin Olsen scores a run during Game #1.

In the second game, Escanaba loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning on a Bissell hit and walks to Corey McInerney and Punzel.

But the Eskymos managed only one run (on a Devin Olsen ground ball) and a double play ended the scoring threat.

It stayed 1-0 until the bottom of the fourth inning, when Jack Valentine walked and came home on a double by Bailey Lamb.

Meanwhile, Punzel had a couple of long innings on the mound thanks to walks, but he kept Alpena off of the scoreboard.

In the fifth inning, Punzel got into a jam.

He struck out Pintar to start the inning, but the ball hit the ground and hopped up into the throat of the catcher, Bissell. Bissell tried to get the out at first, but couldn't, and was down on the ground for several minutes.

Brandon Punzel post-game comments

Bissell continued behind the plate, and watched as Brady Marwede broke up Punzel's no-hit bid with a pop fly single. Tim Atkinson followed with an RBI single off the tip of Punzel's glove to make it 2-1.

Nick Skiba then got an RBI single to tie the game, but on the play, center fielder Lewis Ostrander threw to the plate to cut down Atkinson.

The game was tied 2-2 entering the bottom of the fifth. Ostrander and Bissell led off with walks, which spelled the end of Skiba's time on the mound. Ryan Cadoratte, who pitched at the end of the first game for Alpena, entered this game as well.

McInerney put down a sacrafice bunt to move the runners along, then Punzel drew a walk to load the bases. A passed ball scored a run to put Escanaba in front, 3-2.

Then Olsen drew a walk to reload the bases. That's when Skufca came through with a two-run single to left field to give Escanaba a 5-2 lead. A wild pitch scored Esky's sixth run.

Punzel earned the pitching win in Game #2, allowing three hits and two runs (one earned) in five innings of work. He struck out eight and walked five. Olsen pitched the final inning in relief, giving up one base hit but no runs.

Skiba took the loss for the Wildcats, allowing three hits and six walks in four innings.

Escanaba (10-7) will host the Bink's Coca Cola Tournament on Saturday at Al Ness Field.

Kirk Schwalbach post-game comments

In the first game, Alpena (16-7) will face Negaunee at 10 a.m. Then, the Eskymos will play the new Houghton Gremlins team at approximately 12:30.

The Eskymo game will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), and it will be streamed on-line at www.rrnsports.com.

Click the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos taken by Sheila Olsen, and to listen to radio highlights and interviews.

Date	Time	Opponent	Score	Record

4/11	5:30 PM	at Appleton North Lightning	3 - 7 (L)	0-1

4/18	4:00 PM	at Bay City Central Wolves	6 - 4 (W)	1-1

4/18	6:00 PM	at Bay City Central Wolves	2 - 8 (L)	1-2

4/19	11:00 AM	at Essexville-Garber Dukes	7 - 16 (L)	1-3

4/19	1:00 PM	at Essexville-Garber Dukes	3 - 14 (L)	1-4

4/25	6:00 PM	at Kenosha Tremper High School	9 - 2 (W)	2-4

4/26	10:00 AM	at Waupun, Wis.	6 - 4 (W)	3-4

4/26	6:30 PM	at Fox Valley Lutheran High School	4 - 7 (L)	3-5

5/3	12:30 PM	Menominee Red Wave Legion	10 - 0 (W)	4-5

5/3	5:00 PM	Negaunee Miners	0 - 7 (L)	4-6

5/7	5:30 PM	at Marquette Redmen	10 - 4 (W)	5-6

5/8	4:30 PM	at Gladstone Braves	0 - 1 (L)	5-7

5/11	1:00 PM	Kingsford Legion Blues	5 - 4 (W)	6-7

5/11	3:15 PM	Kingsford Legion Blues	11 - 2 (W)	7-7

5/13	6:30 PM	at Kingsford Legion Blues	15 - 0 (W)	8-7

5/16	5:00 PM	Alpena Wildcats	7 - 2 (W)	9-7

5/16	7:00 PM	Alpena Wildcats	6 - 2 (W)	10-7

5/17	12:30 PM	Houghton Gremlins	7 - 2 (W)	11-7

5/17	5:00 PM	Negaunee Miners	6 - 7 (L)	11-8

5/22	4:00 PM	at Negaunee Miners	10 - 0 (W)	12-8

5/24	12:00 PM	Sault Ste. Marie (Ontario) Black Sox	9 - 0 (W)	13-8

5/24	2:30 PM	Sault Ste. Marie (Ontario) Black Sox	10 - 3 (W)	14-8

5/26	6:00 PM	Gladstone Braves	1 - 3 (L)	14-9

5/29	4:30 PM	Marinette Marines	5 - 7 (L)	14-10

5/31	12:30 PM	at Cheboygan Chiefs	19 - 3 (W)	15-10

5/31	3:00 PM	at Petoskey Northmen	5 - 3 (W)	16-10

6/7	10:00 AM	Newaygo High School	6 - 1 (W)	17-10

6/7	3:00 PM	Gladwin	1 - 4 (L)	17-11