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Cubs, Indians Roll On Zone Tourney's Opening Day
 MENOMINEE --- The Escanaba Cubs and Gladstone Indians met in the American Legion Baseball Class A State Championship game last summer, with the Indians taking home the trophy. Well, Delta County's teams are off to a great start again this weekend as the Zone Five Upper Peninsula Championships are being held in Menominee. Escanaba beat Kingsford, 7-1, and then pounded Marquette, 21-3. Gladstone, meanwhile, mercied Copper Country, 15-1, and then beat Menominee, 9-1. In the first game, Escanaba used a couple big innings with some clutch hits and a good pitching performance from Brandon Punzel to win against the Kingsford Blues. Kingsford struck first against Cubs starting pitcher Brandon Punzel with the help of the Cubs defense. Center fielder John Edwardson reached on a throwing error by the Cubs shortstop Tyler Skufca and advanced to second. He advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Joe Linn. The Cubs scored three in the top of the third off Kingsford starting pitcher Brett Swanson to take the lead. Parker LaMarch reached on an error and advanced to second on the throw. He advanced to third before catcher Sean Bissell walked to set up first and third with one out. Punzel hit a ground ball to the shortstop who didn't see how close Bissell was to the bag before he threw to second. Bissell slid in safely and throw to try and get Puzel at first was not in time either. Skufca followed with an RBI single to left center to score Bissell. First baseman Bailey Lamb ended the scoring with an RBI single to left. The Escanaba Cubs added two more runs in the top of the fourth as Punzel had an RBI fielder's choice, and Skufca hit a double to left center to score a run. Two more runs were scored in the seventh and it was all Punzel needed on the mound. Punzel went all seven innings allowing no earned runs with nine strikeouts and walking four while giving up six hits. The losing pitcher was Brett Swanson and he went four innings giving up five runs (four earned) on nine hits while striking out four and walking two. Parker LaMarch had two hits, Brandon Punzel had two RBI, and Tyler Skufca had three hits and two RBI as well. In the second game of the day Gladstone pounded the ball and used some patience at the plate to lead them to a big 15-1 victory over Copper Country. Gladstone scored five runs while batting through the order in the first inning and it was all starting pitcher Jake Peterson needed for the victory. Third baseman Lucas Weinert hit a big two RBI single scoring Jack Stephenson and Owen Hansen, and Logan Hardwick and Justin Jurek had RBI outs. In the second inning, starting catcher Breadan Lamburg walked and shortstop Justin Jurek was hit by a pitch that just graced his helmet to set up first and second with one out. Owen Hanson then singled to set up bases loaded with one out. Lamburg scored on a bases loaded walk to first baseman Logan Hardwick and Hansen later scored on a wild pitch. In the third, Gladstone had seven hits and a walk and batted through the order once again before they put up seven runs. Second baseman Ben Schwalbach doubled after Peterson singled to start the inning. Lamburg hit an RBI single to left scoring Peterson. Jurek, Hardwick snd Weinert all had RBI singles in the seven run inning. Peterson was the winning pitcher for Gladstone, he went three innings giving up no earned runs on one hit, striking out three and walking one. Elliot Danhoff pitched two innings in relief. The losing pitcher for Copper Country was Coy Budweg, he gave up seven runs (five earned) on five hits, striking out none and walking three. Jake Peterson had three hits with two RBI, Justin Jurek had two RBI as well. Logan Hardwick and Lucas Weinert each had big days with three RBI. In one of the later games, the Cubs handily beat the Marquette Blues, 21-3, in six innings. The had lost both games to the Blues this season, but on Thursday, they jumped to a big lead early, and then scored eleven runs in the top of the sixth inning. The Indians, meanwhile, won the night game, 9-1, as Justin Jurek tossed five scoreless innings. Brandon Cooper and Danhoff finished up for the Indians. With these results, both the Cubs and Indians are guaranteed spots in next week's Class A State Tournament in Escanaba. But the two rivals will meet on the field Friday in the winners bracket final at Menominee's Spies Field. Game time is set for 5:00 ET, and you can hear it live on WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com. The schedule and results are posted below: AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL CLASS A ZONE FIVE FINALS At Spies Field, Menominee Thursday, July 23, 2015 Escanaba 7, Kingsford 1 Gladstone 15, Copper Country 1 Escanaba 21, Marquette 3 Gladstone 9, Menominee 1 Friday, July 24, 2015 Marquette 13, Copper Country 3 Menominee 8, Kingsford 3 (9 Innings) Escanaba 8. Gladstone 5 Game Eight: Marquette vs Menominee, 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT Saturday, July 25, 2015 Game Nine: Gladstone vs Winner 8, 1 p.m. ET/Noon CT Game Ten: Championship: Escanaba vs Winner Nine, 4 p.m. ET/3 p.m. CT Sunday, July 26, 2015 Game Eleven: Championship Game #2 (IF), 1 p.m. ET/Noon CT |
