Gladstone Slips Past North Central In Doubleheader

GLADSTONE---Runs were at a premium on Monday as the Gladstone Braves and North Central Jets met for the first time ever in baseball.

The Braves won both defensive and pitching battles, 1-0 and 2-1.

In the opener, North Central's Dawson Bilski and Gladstone's Jared Crow battled each other pitch-for-pitch. But in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Braves finally broke through, scoring an unearned run, to break the scoreless tie.

The Jets tried to rally in the top of the sixth inning when Bobby Kleiman and Seth Polfus led off with back-to-back singles.

Crow settled down and got the next three batters on a strike out and a pair of fly balls to center fielder Hunter Botruff to end the game.

In the second game, NCA's Ben Snyder hit a solo home run off of Braves starting pitcher Nick Trudeau in the second inning. The Jets held that 1-0 lead until the bottom of the fourth inning, when Gladstone tied the game.

The Braves scored in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead, and then Brandon Cooper pitched a scoreless sixth inning to finish it.

Gladstone (7-2) managed just three base hits in both games.

In the nightcap, Dan Martin had two of the hits, and drove in one of the runs. Botruff's sacrafice fly drove in the other run.

Hunter Riley pitched the first four innings for NCA, and got a no-decision. Kleiman took the loss, allowing an unearned run in the fifth inning.

At the plate, Carter Holle went 3-for-3 in the second game for the Jets.

Gladstone hosts Negaunee in a doubleheader on Wednesday. The games will be broadcast on WCHT-AM (NewsTalk 600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos and video highlights from the doubleheader.

MONDAY'S OTHER ACTION---The Negaunee Miners swept two games from the new Iron Mountain team, 6-0 and 7-2.....The Marquette Redmen and Kingford Flivvers split a pair. The Redmen won the opener, 3-2. The Flivvers won the nightcap, 7-3.