|
Cubs Rally, Beat Indians in U.P Legion Tournament
 MENOMINEE --- The last two times these teams met, it took five innings before a run was scored as both pitchers Justin Popelka and Justin Jurek got out of numerous jams. Popelka was on the mound again Friday night for the Cubs against the Indians, and both teams made sure that runs were scored early. The Cubs advanced to the championship game of the U.P American Legion tournament after beating the Gladstone Indians 8-5. Both teams played good defense, and both hit the ball very well for a combined 19 base hits.  The Cubs struck first in the first inning as center fielder Tyler Hardwick hit a lead off triple to the fence in left center. Second baseman Parker Lamarch scored him on an RBI single to left field. Gladstone answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning on three base hits with two outs. Shortstop Justin Jurek walked to lead it off and second baseman Christian Tackman scored him all the way from first on a big triple to right center. Lucas Weinert hit an RBI double and catcher Braeden Lamburg scored him on a single to Cubs left fielder Jack Valentine. The Indians then tacked onto their 3-1 lead with runs in the second and third inning with two outs off Cubs starting pitcher Justin Popelka. In the second, center fielder Jake Peterson and starting pitcher Ben Schwalbach both singled with two outs to start the rally. Jurek then walked on four pitches to set up bases loaded for Tackman. Tackman hit a slow dribbler that just was out of reach of Popelka on the mound. The ball trickled to Cubs shortstop Tyler Skufca and he tried to barehand the ball and throw to first. It was a good play by Skufca but Tackman was safe at first and the runner scored to make the Indians lead 4-1.  The throw was a little wide and LaMarch tumbled while stepping on the bag. Tackman was called out and the inning ended. In the third, Indians right fielder Hunter Boutroff doubled into the left field corner with two outs. Owen Hansen then hit a ground ball to the shortstop Skufca that looked like the third out. The ball took a terrible hop on Skufca and glanced off his face. Boutroff scored from second and Skufca was taken out of the game. Escanaba cut into the Gladstone lead in the top half of the fourth scoring two runs. LaMarch singled up the middle to start the inning, and catcher Sean Bissell hit a double into the left field corner to set up second and third with no outs. First baseman Brandon Punzel hit a sacrifice fly to center to score LaMarch from third and the score was 5-2. With C.J Barron at the plate who came in for Skufca a curveball from Schwalbach bounced in the dirt to Lamburg behind the plate. The ball got away far enough for Bissell to get to third and the throw from Lamburg got past the third baseman Weinert scoring Bissell.  Bissell smoked a two RBI double to left center scoring Popelka and Hardwick to give the Cubs the lead. Another bases loaded walk to Barron ended Schwalbach's night. Elliot Danhoff came in to relive him and finish out the game for the Indians. The Cubs added one more run in the sixth as Popelka scored on a wild pitch by Danhoff. The winning pitcher for the Cubs was Justin Popelka as he went six and two thirds innings giving up five earned runs on eleven hits while striking out five and walking four. The losing pitcher for the Indians was Ben Schwalbach as he went four and one third innings giving up seven runs (six earned) on six hits while walking five. Brandon Punzel came in to record the save in the seventh getting one out. Elliot Danhoff pitched two and two thirds innings in relief for the Indians. Ben Schwalbach, Christian Tackman, and Owen Hansen all had two hits in the game for the Indians. Sean Bissell and Parker LaMarch both had big nights for the Escanaba Cubs. Bissell hit two doubles and had two RBI and LaMarch was on base all four times he came to the plate with two singles and two walks. The Escanaba Cubs advance to the championship game which is at 4:00 ET and will be broadcasted on AM (600). The Indians will play Marquette to advance to the championship against Escanaba. That game will start at 1:00 ET. 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 Marquette 5, Menominee 3 Saturday, July 25, 2015 Game Nine: Gladstone vs Marquette, 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 Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos taken by Lori Jurek.  |
