Indians Outlast Cubs In Legion Baseball Marathon

ESCANABA---Every game, it seems, has been all-out war between the Escanaba and Gladstone boys over the past year. Last summer, the Cubs and Indians faced off in the state semifinals in Adrian, with Escanaba winning 1-0 on a Devin Olsen no-hitter.

Then, in the high school season, Gladstone's Justin Jurek threw a no-hitter and the Braves beat Olsen (who threw a three-hitter that night), 1-0 in Gladstone.

Well, Thursday night in Escanaba, it went down to the wire yet again. But this was a mighty long wire...two games worth.

Gladstone reserve catcher Graham Morrison got a base hit to left field in the top of the 14th Inning, driving home his cousin Christian Groleau with what turned out to be the game-winning run in a 4-3 Indians victory that left everyone tired.

Morrison, who played baseball in Lower Michigan last year before moving to Gladstone to stay with the Groleau's this summer, smacked a 3-2 pitch to left field to bring home Groleau with the go-ahead run. Groleau had four successful bunts in the game.

The game was scoreless until Escanaba took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning.

The Indians tied it in the top of the seventh inning on a Groleau suicide squeeze, before the Cubs loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning. Tyler Skufca couldn't get the hit, so we went extra innings.

In the ninth inning, a couple of walks put two on base for the Indians. Groleau put down another excellent bunt, and Olsen came off the mound and threw it away into the right field corner.

Two runs scored, giving Gladstone a 3-1 lead.

But in the bottom of the ninth, Skufca was at the plate with the bases full on walks by Sean Bissell, Devin Olsen, and Dave Falish. And this time, he came through with a big two-run base hit to retie the game at 3-3.

And that's how it stayed, as both teams used four pitchers into the 14th Inning. The Indians had a chance to get more runs after Groleau scored, but Cubs reliever Jake Rodman got Hayden Hardwick to hit into a 5-2-3 double play.

Escanaba got runners at second and third with just one out in the bottom of the 14th Inning, but reliever Jake Pearson got a strike out and a fly out to end the game.

The game ended at midnight, four hours after the first pitch was thrown.

The losing pitcher for Escanaba was Jake Rodman, who went one inning giving up one earned run on two hits, and two walks while striking out none.

The winning pitcher for Gladstone was Jake Peterson who pitched four and two thirds innings, giving up no runs on five hits, while striking out three and walking one.

Groleau had four bunt base hits in the game for Gladstone, while scoring three runs and stealing a base. Justin Jurek was on base five times with four walks and a single while scoring two runs.

Falish was also on base five times for Escanaba, as he walked three times and had two singles while also stealing a base.

Skufca had three hits and two RBI.

In the junior varsity game, it was the Gladstone Junior Indians with the victory over the Escanaba Junior Cubs, 11-3.

The Cubs have this weekend off. The Indians host Oconto Falls, Wis., in a doubleheader Saturday afternoon. Game time is 1:00. The games will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), and on www.rrnsports.com after coverage of Little League Softball.

Click the above thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHTLIGHTS section for photos taken from the game by Sheila Olsen.