Banged-Up Indians Lose To Marquette Blues, 8-4

GLADSTONE---Indians Manager Jim Groleau knew that he was inheriting a banged-up bunch of guys as the American Legion Baseball season began on the heels of a successful high school campaign.

But he didn't know that the team would be this banged-up.

Justin Jurek hasn't been able to throw for weeks, and since you can't really use him as a designated hitter (as was done in the high school season), Jurek played first base this weekend so that his valuable bat could stay in the Indians line-up.

Christian Groleau's injuries have prevented him from being the dominant All-Region pitcher he was a year ago. Jake Peterson pitched Saturday night, but his arm is not at 100 percent.

Christian Tackman hasn't been able to pitch for weeks, after throwing a three-hitter in last summer's American Legion State Semifinal game in Adrian. And then Tommy Bailey, playing in right field because Jurek is at first base, crashed into the fence trying to catch a fly ball diring Sunday's game against the Marquette Blues. He hurt his shoulder (to go along with cracked rubs during the high school season), and had to sit out the final innings of Sunday's game.

Yep, it's a real M*A*S*H unit right now.

The Indians fell to the Blues, 8-4, Sunday, to finish the tournament with a 1-2 record.

Gladstone actually took an early 2-0 lead when Jurek singled and Hardwick was hit by a pitch in the first inning.

Both scored when Jake Pearson hit an infield tap and Marquette pitcher Riley Lynch threw it beyond first base for a two-base error.

Gladstone got the leadoff man on in the second inning as Sam Pouliot walked. He was picked off of first base by Lynch moments later, and after Duane Englund also walked, the next two guys struck out, and the Indians threat was over.

Marquette scored in the third inning as Hunter Larson doubled and was bunted to third by Derek Stone. He scored on a single by Lynch. Later, McKinley Larson smoked a double to the fence, but Christian Tackman's relay throw cut down Ryan Hanson at the plate. The Indians still led, 2-1, but not for long.

Marquette took the lead in the fourth inning when Gladstone pitcher Pearson had troubles.

He was pitching because Peterson could not throw at the last minute, and in that fourth inning, Pearson hit two batters and walked two others.

Two runs scored in the inning. Eighth grader Logan Heim came on in relief and got a groundout and a pop fly to keep the Indians within a run.

In the bottom of the fourth, Bailey hit a long one that had a chance to get out of the ballpark. But it ended up on the warning track for a double. Lynch got the next three batters to fly out, strike out, and pop up...the Indians threat was over.

The Blues then batted around in the top of the fifth inning against Heim, scoring four runs on five base hits. Two of the runs came on a home run by Trevor Bratonia, who hit one off of Bailey's glove in right field as Bailey crashed into the fence.

Gladstone scored twice in the bottom of the fifth on an error and a Pearson RBI single, but Marquette got a run back in the seventh on a Hunter Larson sacrafice fly.

In the bottom of the seventh, Lynch walked Jurek and Garling to lead off the inning.

It looked like he might be lifted from the mound when manager Derek Swajanen came out, but the longtime Blues skipped chose to keep Lynch in the game.

Lynch fell behind Hardwick 3-0, but battled back to get a foul pop up. Pearson flew out and Peterson, pinch-hitting, struck out to end the game with a Marquette win.

The Blues (27-7) had twelve hits in the game. Hunter Larson, McKinley Larson, and Levi Underwood all had two hits apiece.

Gladstone (2-2) had four hits: Jurek, Pearson, Pouliot, and Bailey.

The Indians are off until next Sunday, when the boys play two games in Kingsford.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos from the game, taken by Lori Jurek and Kammie Burks.