Eskymos Drop Two At Wisconsin Dells Invitational

MAUSTON, Wis,---The Escanaba High School baseball team dropped two close games Saturday at the Wisconsin Dells Baseball Challenge in Mauston, Wis. The Eskymos lost to Adams-Friendship, 5-4, in eight innings, and then fell to LaCrosse Logan, 5-3.

In Saturday's first game, the Eskymos staked pitcher Justin Popelka to a 3-0 lead, but the Green Devils rallied to tie the game in the middle innings. The Eskymos regained the lead in the sixth inning, and Parker LaMarch came on to pitch. He got threw one inning, then allowed one run but kept the game tied heading into extra innings.

But a walk, two stolen bases, and a pop fly basde hit won it for the Green Devils.

"Early in the game, we jumped on them, but maybe that wasn't a good thing for us," Eskymo Manager Kirk Schwalbach said. "They had a really young team, and we let them hang around. The longer they hang around, their confidence got higher and ours got lower."

Schwalbach was happy to get some mound time for both Popelka and LaMarch. "It was a tough one," Schwalbach said. "One we probably should have won. But we can take a lot out of the loss."

In the second game, the Eskymos fell behind by four runs before the LaCrosss team had their first out. C.J. Barron got the ball for his high school pitching debut, and it was a rocky first inning. But he allowed just one more base hit the rest of the way, giving his team a solid six innings on the hill. Johnny Schlenvogt pitched the seventh inning.

"We're developing some arms for later in the season," Schwalbach said. "C.J. really settled in, and he pitched a whale of a game. We're happy with his effort."

FRIDAY NIGHT: ESCANABA 7, MAUSTON 4:
Escanaba jumped to a 5-0 lead in the first two innings and then cruised from there. Punzel pitched into the fifth inning before being pulled for Schlenvogt, who gave up three runs in the sixth inning but closed the Golden Eagles out in the seventh.

"He (Punzel) was up around 80 pitches, so it was time," Schwalbach said. "He threw three real good innings, and got out of trouble in another. Johnny struggled a bit, but he did OK. I mean, we were up 7-1 when we brought him in."

Hunter LaMarch and Popelka each had three hits on two doubles and a single. Parker LaMarch added a single and atriple and scored two runs. Barron had a trouble and two walks, and he also scored twice. And Punzel had two hits.

"Punk (Hunter LaMarch) had some big hits and drove in three runs," Schwalbach said. "On that turf field, you can hit a blooper, and it bounces and goes all the way to the fence."

The Eskymos will have their home opener Wednesday afternoon against Marquette. Game time is 5:00, and it will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos and videos from the game, and to hear Schwalbach's post-game words.

Date	Time	Opponent	Score	Record

4/11	5:00 PM	at Marinette Marines	1 - 4 (L)	0-1

4/15	6:00 PM	at Mauston, Wis.	7 - 4 (W)	1-1

4/16	10:00 AM	at Adams-Friendship, Wis.	4 - 5 (L)	1-2

4/16	2:00 PM	at LaCrosse Logan, Wis.	3 - 5 (L)	1-3

4/20	5:00 PM	Marquette Redmen	3 - 2 (W)	2-3

4/22	4:00 PM	at Kenosha Tremper High School	2 - 14 (L)	2-4

4/23	11:00 AM	at Westosha Central, Wis.	6 - 8 (L)	2-5

4/23	3:00 PM	at Seymour, Wis.	3 - 2 (W)	3-5

4/27	4:00 PM	Superior Central Cougars	12 - 0 (W)	4-5

4/27	6:30 PM	Superior Central Cougars	12 - 2 (W)	5-5

4/28	5:00 PM	Negaunee Miners	9 - 0 (W)	6-5

4/29	4:00 PM	Bark River-Harris Broncos	7 - 0 (W)	7-5

5/3	5:00 PM	Gladstone Braves	3 - 3 (T)	RAIN

5/6	5:00 PM	at Negaunee Miners	14 - 1 (W)	8-5

5/7	1:00 PM	at Shawano Hawks	12 - 2 (W)	9-5

5/7	3:15 PM	at Shawano Hawks	11 - 1 (W)	10-5

5/9	4:00 PM	at Bark River-Harris Broncos	15 - 1 (W)	11-5

5/11	4:00 PM	at Marquette Redmen	9 - 4 (W)	12-5

5/11	6:15 PM	at Marquette Redmen	8 - 5 (W)	13-5

5/12	4:30 PM	at Gladstone Braves	1 - 2 (L)	13-6

5/13	6:00 PM	Houghton Gremlins	11 - 1 (W)	14-6

5/14	12:30 PM	Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils	9 - 8 (W)	15-6

5/14	7:00 PM	Houghton Gremlins	6 - 2 (W)	16-6

5/18	5:00 PM	Norway Knights	2 - 0 (W)	17-6

5/21	12:30 PM	Kingsford Legion Blues	1 - 2 (L)	17-7

5/21	3:00 PM	Bark River-Harris Broncos	14 - 2 (W)	18-7

5/24	4:00 PM	North Central Jets	- (T)	RAIN

5/24	6:00 PM	North Central Jets	- (T)	RAIN

5/26	6:00 PM	Kingsford Legion Blues	1 - 2 (L)	18-8

5/30	6:30 PM	at Gladstone Braves	3 - 4 (L)	18-9

5/31	5:00 PM	Rudyard Bulldogs	5 - 5 (T)	18-9-1

6/3	12:00 PM	Petoskey Northmen	4 - 3 (W)	19-9-1

6/3	5:00 PM	at Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils	16 - 3 (W)	20-9-1

6/11	12:30 PM	Fremont High School	0 - 2 (L)	20-10-1