Swiss, Northmen Get Revenge In District Semifinal

ESCANABA---It was one year ago that the Escanaba High School baseball team pulled an improbable comeback to win a district championship. The boys trailed Jordan Swiss and the Petoskey Northmen, 3-0, in the seventh inning before rallying to win, 5-3.

On Saturday in Escanaba, it was another down-to-the-wire dramatic game, but this time, the Northmen got their revenge. Swiss limited the Eskymos to three hits, striking out ten batters, to lead the Northmen to a 2-1 victory, ending Escanaba's season.

Petoskey later beat Sault Ste. Marie, 6-3, to win the district championship.

"Now I know how Petoskey felt last year," Escanaba Manager Kirk Schwalbach said. "The kids took it tough. Someone's got to win, someone's got to lose. It's their turn this year. Hats off to them. They're a really club, and I hope they do really well."

Swiss, who will likely play college baseball at some level after he graduates from Petoskey, got personal revenge from last year's seventh inning collapse.

He allowed just three hits on Saturday: two doubles from senior Sean Bissell, and a single from Brandon Punzel.

"You're not going to win games scoring one run," Schwalbach said. "Our philosophy is to get to seven (runs). We didn't do that today. Give Jordan Swiss all the credit. He pitched a great game, and hats off to them."

Sean Bissell picks off runner at first base.

Escanaba junior Brandon Punzel nearly matched Swiss, pitch for pitch. He allowed nine hits, but three of them were bunt singles. Punzel had good control, walking just one batter and striking out seven.

It may have been his best performance of the season.

"Brandon pitched a great game," Schwalbach said. "He's gotten better every game that he's pitched. We made a couple of mistakes here and there."

Punzel wiggled off the hook several times early in the game, as Petoskey stranded seven base runners in the first three innings.

The Northmen took the lead in the third inning when Nick Kanine led off with a single, went to second on a passed ball, got bunted to third by Phillip Schaub, and scored on a Luke Schrage sacrafice fly.

Petoskey's lead grew to 2-0 in the fifth inning, and it happened with a touch of controversy.

With one out, Schrage singled, and then courtesy runner Sam Wilcox made it to second base as Parker Monley was safe on an infield error.

With runners at the corners, Craig Cook hit one up the middle. Senior shortstop Tyler Skufca got the ball to Parker LaMarch at second base, and then LaMarch's strong relay throw appeared to nip Cook at first base for an inning-ending double play.

The infield umpire called Cook out, but the home plate umpire was asked for help, and overruled the call. He said that Eskymo first baseman Justin Popelka had pulled his foot off of the bag. So, Cook was safe and Wilcox scored to make it a 2-0 game.

That became huge in the sixth inning when Escanaba tried to mount a rally. Senior Tyler Hardwick led off with a walk, and with one out, Bissell smacked his second double of the game.

That scored Hardwick with an Eskymo run. Was it deja vu all over again? Not this time.

Punzel grounded to first base to move Bissell, and the tying run, to third base. But Jack Valentine popped up Swiss's first pitch, ending the Eskymo threat. Swiss retired the Eskymos 1-2-3 in the seventh inning. There was no miracle comeback this time for Escanaba. The Esky season ends with a 16-8-1 record.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos and videos taken by Mike Dagenais and Sandi Young, and audio clips.

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