APPLETON, Wis.---First, the good news. The Escanaba High School baseball team played its first game of the season on Friday.
Now, the bad news. The Eskymos lost to the Appleton North Lightning, 7-3, in a game played under cold conditions in Appleton. The Lightning scored four runs in the second inning to grab the lead, and then after the Eskymos closed the gap to 4-3, Appleton scored three more runs in the seventh inning to win going away.
"They're always good, right at the top of their conference," Escanaba Coach Kirk Schwalbach said. "I give our kids credit. We fell behind 4-0 but we battled back."
Escanaba had just two base hits in the game, by Tyler Skufca and Hunter LaMarch.
LaMarch's base hit in the sixth inning highlighted a three-run Eskymo rally that brought them to within 4-3. Escanaba had plenty of baserunners on walks and errors throughout the game, but the Eskymos stranded eleven baserunners.
Devin Olsen got the start on the mound, but he lasted just two innings thanks to shotty defense behind him. The Eskymos committed three errors as Appleton scored four runs in the second inning. Olsen also hit a batter and walked another, but all four runs against him were unearned.
Ben Kleiman came in to pitch in the third inning, and he held the Lightning off the board for three innings. Brandon Punzel gave up three runs on four hits in the sixth inning.
"Ben came in and threw really well," Schwalbach said. "I could have went longer with him, but I wanted the opportunity to get other kids in there."
Despite the loss, Schwalbach was happy to see his kids in action.
"It was our first time stepping on dirt," he said. "We had two bad innings."
Escanaba's doubleheader scheduled for Saturday against Shawano (Wis.) has been cancelled, as the fields at both schools are unplayable.
Escanaba is scheduled to play at Marinette (Wis.) next Thursday, and then will play at Bay City Central on Friday and Essexville-Garber on Saturday.
Those games will all be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.
Thanks to Sheila Olsen for these photos.
Now, the bad news. The Eskymos lost to the Appleton North Lightning, 7-3, in a game played under cold conditions in Appleton. The Lightning scored four runs in the second inning to grab the lead, and then after the Eskymos closed the gap to 4-3, Appleton scored three more runs in the seventh inning to win going away.
"They're always good, right at the top of their conference," Escanaba Coach Kirk Schwalbach said. "I give our kids credit. We fell behind 4-0 but we battled back."
Eskymo catcher Sean Bissell on Friday.
LaMarch's base hit in the sixth inning highlighted a three-run Eskymo rally that brought them to within 4-3. Escanaba had plenty of baserunners on walks and errors throughout the game, but the Eskymos stranded eleven baserunners.
Devin Olsen got the start on the mound, but he lasted just two innings thanks to shotty defense behind him. The Eskymos committed three errors as Appleton scored four runs in the second inning. Olsen also hit a batter and walked another, but all four runs against him were unearned.
Ben Kleiman came in to pitch in the third inning, and he held the Lightning off the board for three innings. Brandon Punzel gave up three runs on four hits in the sixth inning.
"Ben came in and threw really well," Schwalbach said. "I could have went longer with him, but I wanted the opportunity to get other kids in there."
Despite the loss, Schwalbach was happy to see his kids in action.
Devin Olsen took the loss on Friday.
Escanaba's doubleheader scheduled for Saturday against Shawano (Wis.) has been cancelled, as the fields at both schools are unplayable.
Escanaba is scheduled to play at Marinette (Wis.) next Thursday, and then will play at Bay City Central on Friday and Essexville-Garber on Saturday.
Those games will all be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.
Thanks to Sheila Olsen for these photos.
