FIFTH INNING MAGIC: Eskymos Sweep Marquette

MARQUETTE---Five was a lucky number Wednesday for the Escanaba Eskymos.

The Eskymos found themselves trailing the Marquette Redmen entering the fifth inning of both games on Wednesday in Marquette. But they found a way to keep their winning streak going by scoring eight runs in the first game to win, 9-5. And then in the second game, the Eskymos scored five runs in the fifth inning to pull out an 8-5 victory.

The Eskymos (13-5) have now won eleven straight games, and they have won all nine of their games this season against Upper Peninsula teams.

"They gave us all we could handle," Escanaba Manager Kirk Schwalbach said. "All of a sudden, our bats came alive. The big thing I like is for the kids to show a lot of charter and come back when we were behind."

In the first game, Marquette scored three runs off of Eskymo starter C.J. Barron in the third inning on RBI hits by Sam Leow, Austin Wachnicki, and Trevor Delmont. After the Eskymos stranded the bases loaded in the top of the fourth, the Redmen scored another run in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Jacob Flynn.

So, the Eskymos were in a bind.

But the top of the fifth inning saw the game turn completely around, and it started with one out in the inning. Hunter LaMarch got aboard with a single and rode home on a home run to left field by Justin Popelka, cutting Marquette's lead to 4-3. Marquette starting pitcher Garrett Finkbeiner was pulled in favor of Flynn, and it didn't help.

Jack Valentine greeted him with a double, and then Logan Lamb singled him to third. Courage Krueger followed with a two-run single to give Escanaba a 5-4 lead.

But the fun was just getting started. Parker LaMarch got a single at the top of the order, and CJ Barron walked to load the bases. Brandon Punzel launched a long drive to left field that bounced over the fence for a ground rule double, making it a 7-4 Esky lead.

The inning still wasn't over, as Hunter LaMarch got his second hit of the inning to bring in another run, and Popelka got his third RBI of the inning with a sacrafice fly.

The Eskymos worked the final two innings with ease, and it was a 9-4 win.

IN THE SECOND GAME. Escanaba scored two in the top of the first inning to grab the lead, but pitcher Parker LaMarch had a rough time in the bottom of the inning. The Redmen scored four runs, with Leow and Wachinski getting RBI hits and the Eskymos committing two errors on defense. Marquette had a 4-2 lead for pitcher Wachinski.

Escanaba scored a run in the third inning on a bases-loaded walk to Popelka, but the Redmen managed to get out of the inning with the lead when Valentine grounded out.

It stayed 4-3 until the fateful fifth inning, when the Eskymo bats went to work again. Punzel led off with a single, and Marquette Coach Todd Koski went to the bullpen, bringing Jay Oberg to the mound. But just as Flynn struggled out of the bullpen in the opener, the Eskymo offense battered Oberg in the nightcap.

Hunter LaMarch ripped a bomb to center field for a double, tying the game at 4.

Then, Popelka hit a ground ball that ate up the Marquette infielder. The error allowed the go-ahead run to score for the Eskymos. Valentine followed with an RBI single to make it 6-4, then Lamb smoked one up the gap to score Valentine.

Aaron Young then came through with an RBI single, making it an 8-4 game. But the bottom of the fifth inning became an adventure as the Eskymos went to the bullpen.

Punzel came in to relieve Parker LaMarch, and he struggled with his control. He hit a batter, walked another, and gave up a base hit to load the bases with no outs. Then, a four-pitch bases-loaded walk forced home a run, bringing Marquette to within 8-5.

With the tying run on base, Punzel got a strikeout for the first out, then the Eskymos turned a 1-2-3 double play, with catcher C.J. Barron making an athletic play to make the turn. With darkness creeping in, the umpires called the game at that point.

ESKYMOS ON DECK---Escanaba continues a heavy stretch of games on Thursday with a single game in Gladstone. Game time is 4:30. It will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.

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