Escanaba Cubs Open Season With One-Run Wins

ESCANABA---The American Legion Baseball season opener for the Escanaba Cubs was a long time coming this time around.

Most of the boys playing for the Cubs last took the field 20 days ago as members of the Escanaba High School baseball team, and on that day, the boys took a tough 2-1 loss to the Petoskey Northmen in the district semfinals.

Longtime Cubs Manager Tom Ohman said that he wanted to ease into the Legion season, so he gave the kids a week off before starting the run toward a possible summer playoff run.

But now, it's full speed ahead, and the Cubs got off to a good start on Friday with a pair of tight wins to start the Gregg Johnson/Al Erickson Memorial Tournament.

The Cubs beat the Marquette Blues, 3-2, and then beat Hancock Post 186, 2-1.

In Friday's first game, the Cubs had plenty of chances to score early against Marquette, but couldn't get the big hit. Marquette took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on an RBI single by Brandon Lotterman off of Cubs starting pitcher Brandon Punzel.

Escanaba tied the game in the bottom of the third when Tyler Hardwick singled, got bunted to second by Tyler Skufca, and scored on a single by Sean Bissell.

Escanaba's Brandon Punzel post-game comments.

Marquette regained the lead in the fourth inning when McKinley Larson doubled and scored on a single by Brenden Higbie. Sam Leow then followed with a double, putting runners at second and third.

With two out, Jay Oberg lofted one to short center field. Hardwick raced in and caught the ball just above the grasstops, saving two runs that would have made it 4-1.

Escanaba rallied in the fifth inning against Marquette pitcher Trevor Brattonia.

Hardwick walked and Skufca put down his second sacrafice bunt of the game. Bissell followed with an infield hit, and Punzel came through with an RBI single to tie the game at 2-2.

Parker LaMarch followed with an infield hit, and on the play, the ball was thrown away for an error. That allowed courtesy runner C.J. Barron to score, making it 3-2.

In the sixth inning, Higbie beat out an infield hit and was bunted to second by Leow. But Punzel struck out Lotterman and got Oberg to ground out to end the threat.

In the bottom of the sixth, Jack Valentine led off with a hit and Lewis Ostrander bunted him to second. Skufca lofted one to center field that Marquette's Riley Lynch dove and caught, saving a run and keeping it a 3-2 game.

Cubs' Lewis Ostrander gets RBI single vs Hancock.

Punzel got the first out of the seventh inning, but then, he gave up hits to Hunter Larson and Lynch.

With one out and the tying run in scoring position, Punzel managed to get McKinley Larson to ground out and Trevor Koski to foul out to end the game. Punzel scattered eight hits and struck out eight batters in the victory.

The next game saw the Cubs face Hancock Post 186, which is calling itself "Copper Country" because the team includes kids from Houghton, Hancock, and Calumet.

Escanaba had numerous chances to grab an early lead, but could not take control of the game because the Cubs had two runners thrown out on the basepaths and hit into a pair of double plays.

Copper Country also had a runner thrown out while trying to steal, and the Keweenaw boys also hit into a 6-3 double play.

Justin Popelka pitched for Escanaba, and he managed to get 1-2-3 innings in the first and fourth. He allowed just two base hits in the first six innings, both of them by Carter Puuri in the #6 spot in the batting order.

The only run against Popelka came in the third inning, when Brady Budweg was safe on an error, got bunted to second by Hans Stimac, went to third on a passed ball, and came home on a wild pitch.

Escanaba tied the game in the bottom of the third inning when Bailey Lamb singled, got bunted to second by Valentine, and scored on a hit by Ostrander from the #9 hole.

Escanaba's Bailey Lamb post-game comments.

The Cubs had two on in the fourth, but LaMarch hit into a 6-4-3 double play. In the fifth, the Cubs had two men on due to walks, but Hardwick flew out to end that threat.

Finally, in the sixth inning, Skufca led off with a walk. Bissell bunted him to second base (the Cubs' bunts were great all night long), and then Punzel singled Skufca home.

Popelka wanted to finish what he started on the mound. But he walked pinch hitter Lee Markham and then Stima beat out an infield hit. With two out and the tying run at second base, Gabe Rupright hit one to the shortstop Skufca.

Escanaba Cubs get final out to clinch win!

Skufca's throw to first base was just barely in time, a "bang bang" play that ended the game with a 2-1 Escanaba win.

Popelka went all seven innings for the Cubs win, allowing four hits. He struck out three batters and he walked three. Coy Budweg took the tough loss for Copper Country, giving up five base hits and three walks. He struck out just one Cubs batter.

Escanaba plays two more games on Saturday, and they are against two powerhouse programs. The Cubs face DePere, Wis., and 5:15, and then the boys will take on Midland Berryhill at 7:30. Check back here Sunday morning for the results.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos and videos taken by Sheila Olsen, and to hear post-game interviews.