Eskymos Top Redmen In Baseball Home Opener

ESCANABA---The Escanaba Eskymos scored six runs in the third inning and then cruised to an 8-3 win over the Marquette Redmen in Escanaba's first home game.

Tyler Skufca threw four scoreless innings, striking out seven batters and allowing only one pop fly base hit. Justin Popelka struggled in relief, allowing two hits and a walk before yielding a three-run double to Marquette's Brett Beauchamp in the fifth inning.

But fortunately for Escanaba, the boys already had a 6-0 lead before Marquette rallied.

"My fastball had nice velocity on it and my curve was working good," said Skufca, who earned the pitching victory. "I couldn't really get my change for strikes, but you're not gonna have it every time out. It was nice to be back in front of all of our fans."

"It was nice getting in front of everybody," junior Hunter LaMarch added. "It was a nice crowd out here today. It was a perfect day for baseball, actually. Not too cold!"

That third inning was a big one for the Eskymos against Marquette starting pitcher Jack Kochevar. Escanaba loaded the bases with one out against Kochevar in the first inning before he got LaMarch to hit into a 6-3 double play to end the scoring threat.

But in the third inning, Escanaba sent 12 batters to the plate to take control of the game. Sean Bissell singled, Skufca walked, and Brandon Punzel came through with an RBI single to make it 1-0. One out later, LaMarch doubled to left field to score two runs.

LaMarch scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-0. Then, with two out, Lewis Ostrander drew a walk to keep the inning going. Corey McInerney followed with an RBI single, then Tyler Hardwick singled home another run. That gave Escanaba a 6-0, chasing Kochevar.

"We strung some hits together," Eskymo Coach Kirk Schwalbach said. "We had a good inning with the bats. Marquette is better than the teams they've had in the past. I give them a lot of credit. We seem to do that in bunches, then go a few innings without it."

Marquette left-hander Riley Lynch came in to get the final out of that inning.

Then the Redmen scored three runs in the fifth inning off of Popelka, as Beauchamp's shot to right field got past McInerney, who tried to make a shoestring catch, but barely missed.

Escanaba added a run in the bottom of the fifth when Bissell led off with a triple. He scored on a groundout by Skufca, who had walked in his previous three at-bats.

Bissell continues to scald the ball in the #1 spot in the batting order. He had three hits in this game, and he scored two runs. LaMarch also scored two runs.

"Sean really swung the bat good," Schwalbach said. "He's off to a good start early. The first four games, he's got to be hitting 5-something (.500). He went to left-handed last year, and I said 'stay on the right side this year'. And he's off to a good start."

Escanaba improved to 3-1 on the season. The Eskymos do not play again until next Thursday, April 23, against Negaunee. The team will then play three games at the Waupun (Wis.) Tournament on April 24-25. All three of those games will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos taken by Sandi Young and Mike Dagenais, and to hear replays and interviews.

Date	Time	Opponent	Score	Record

4/7	4:30 PM	at Marinette Marines	15 - 0 (W)	1-0

4/11	12:00 PM	at Seymour, Wis.	10 - 5 (W)	2-0

4/11	2:00 PM	at Shiocton, Wis.	7 - 9 (L)	2-1

4/15	5:30 PM	Marquette Redmen	8 - 3 (W)	3-1

4/23	5:00 PM	Negaunee Miners	6 - 2 (W)	4-1

4/24	5:00 PM	at Beloit Turner, Wis.	10 - 5 (W)	5-1

4/25	1:00 PM	at Waupun, Wis.	rain - ppd (W)	rain

4/25	4:00 PM	at Prairie Du Chien Blackhawks	rain - ppd (W)	rain

4/28	4:30 PM	at Gladstone Braves	4 - 5 (L)	5-2

5/1	4:00 PM	at Bay City John Glenn	9 - 2 (W)	6-2

5/2	10:00 AM	at Bay City John Glenn	4 - 5 (L)	6-3

5/2	12:30 PM	at Coldwater High School	5 - 15 (L)	6-4

5/6	5:30 PM	at Marquette Redmen	3 - 4 (L)	6-5

5/7	4:30 PM	Gladstone Braves	5 - 4 (W)	7-5

5/9	10:00 AM	Bark River-Harris Broncos	14 - 5 (W)	8-5

5/9	3:00 PM	Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils	13 - 3 (W)	9-5

5/13	5:00 PM	Norway Knights	10 - 1 (W)	10-5

5/14	5:00 PM	North Central Jets	9 - 1 (W)	11-5

5/14	7:30 PM	North Central Jets	17 - 6 (W)	12-5

5/16	10:00 AM	Negaunee Miners	11 - 0 (W)	13-5

5/16	3:00 PM	Shawano Hawks	2 - 13 (L)	13-6

5/18	4:00 PM	at Bay Port, Wis. Pirates	5 - 6 (L)	13-7

5/18	6:00 PM	at Bay Port, Wis. Pirates	0 - 0 (T)	13-7-1

5/21	5:28 PM	Marinette Marines	16 - 15 (W)	14-7-1

5/23	1:00 PM	Kingsford Legion Blues	5 - 1 (W)	15-7-1

5/23	4:00 PM	Kingsford Legion Blues	5 - 0 (W)	16-7-1

5/26	5:00 PM	at Negaunee Miners	RAIN - ppd (W)	RAIN

5/30	10:00 AM	Petoskey Northmen	1 - 2 (L)	16-8-1