Gladstone Indians Stage Huge Rally In Sault, 14-13
SAULT STE. MARIE---Things were looking about as bad as you could imagine for the defending Class A state champion Gladstone Indians Friday evening in Sault Ste. Marie. The Indians had already lost their first game at the Sault Ste. Marie Tournament to the host Eastern U.P. Travelers, 10-4. And in their second game, the team fell behind the Sault Ste. Marie (Ontario) Black Sox, 13-2. A team they haven't lost to in years. But the Indians got the wake-up call just in time. They scored twelve unanswered runs in the final two innings to rally for a 14-13 victory. Hunter Garling had two home runs for the Indians, and Justin Jurek hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning to bring his team to within 13-12. Logan Hardwick's RBI double tied the game, and then the Indians won it on a passed ball with a runner on third base. In the earlier game against EUP, the Indians fell behind early when Ben Schwalbach struggled on the mound, allowing five runs in the first inning. Schwalbach settled down and shut out the host team for the next four innings, and the Indians closed to within 5-4. In the sixth inning, the Indians made a key error in the outfield and it led to five unearned runs crossing the plate for the Travelers. In the second game, Braeden Lamberg started on the mound and was eventually picked up by Brandon Cooper, who earned the win after the Indians rallied at the end. The tournament continues on Saturday as Gladstone faces Petoskey and Sanford. In Escanaba on Friday, the Gladstone Junior Indians were blanked by the Sault Ste. Marie junior team, 13-0, in the Junior Cubs tournament opener. Escanaba's juniors beat the Marquette Reds, 8-6. That tournament continues on Saturday at Al Ness Field. |