ESCANABA---It was a game that was pretty bland and boring at times, but in the end, the Escanaba Eskymos and Negaunee Miners put on a dramatic show to cap off Saturday's Bink's Coca Cola Baseball Invitational at Al Ness Field.
The Miners took advantage of numerous Eskymo mistakes to take a 6-2 lead in the final inning before Escanaba rallied for four runs to send the game into extra innings.
And then, in the ninth inning, the Miners scored an unearned run to take the lead and then held off a furious Eskymo rally in the bottom of the inning to post a 7-6 victory.
It was Negaunee's second tournament championship over the Eskymos this spring, and the Miners also won a tournament championship in Norway earlier this month.
For Eskymo Manager Kirk Schwalbach, the end result was disappointing.
"It's tough to take," Schwalbach said. "This kids are disappointed. But in the long run, this is going to build some character in the kids. It's going to make us better."
Negaunee scored what would be the game's winning run in the top of the ninth inning when Jay Lori hit a slow roller to shortstop with the bases loaded and two outs.
Escanaba shortstop Ben Kleiman couldn't field it cleanly, and the go-ahead run scored from third base.
The inning had started with #9 hitter Grant Johnson leading off with a single. He was bunted to second by Tyler Lajoie and was bunted to third by Chad Larson. With Negaunee's best player, Tyler Jandron, at the plate next, and Eric Lori due next after him, Schwalbach decided to intentionally walk both of them to load the bases.
It almost worked as Eskymo reliever Corey McInerney pitched to Jay Lori, but the ground ball could not be handled, and Negaunee took a 7-6 lead.
McInerney then got Hunter Ridley to ground out to end the inning, leaving the bases loaded.
That set up the bottom of the ninth inning, when the Eskymos had their chance against Negaunee reliever Chad Larson.
Jack Valentine led off with a single, then Bailey Lamb followed with a double past a diving Dylan Tasson in left field.
That put runners at second and third with no outs. Hunter LaMarch hit a ground ball to the left side of the infield, and the left-handed shortstop Tyler Jandron made the play at the plate. Runners ended up at first and third, bringing up Lewis Ostrander.
Unfortunately for the Eskymos, Ostrander hit the ball right back to the mound. Larson threw to Jandron at second, who then relayed it to first base.
Ostrander was hustling up the line, and it appeared that he beat the throw to first. That would have re-tied the game for the Eskymos, but the umpire call was "out", and the game ended.
"I think he was safe by two steps," Schwalbach said. "And so did the Negaunee coach. He even said that he hated to see the game end that way. Lewis was disappointed because he hustled and beat it out. We'd probably still be playing if the call was made right."
Schwalbach says that his team is snakebitten, especially against Negaunee.
"Baseball is a funny game," he said. "Sometimes the ball just doesn't seem to go your way, and twice now against Negaunee, it hasn't gone our way. The kids are a little frustrated."
"But, like I said, it's going to make us better."
For most of the game, the Eskymos played with very little energy. It was their fourth game in less than 24 hours, and the team seemed to be flat. The top of the seventh inning was embarrassing, as the Eskymos committed three errors that allowed the Miners to score two runs and take a 6-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh.
But Escanaba did not give up. Brandon Punzel led off with a single, and then McInerney walked and Tyler Skufca singled to load the bases. When Valentine walked to force in a run, Miners starter Lajoie was removed from the mound and Jandron came in.
Jandron struck out Bailey Lamb, but he walked LaMarch to force in a run, making it a 6-4 game. Jandron fanned Ostrander, but Sean Bissell came through with a two-run single to left field to tie the game. That set up the extra-innings drama into the evening.
"The biggest thing I told the kids after, is that I was proud that it was 6-2 and they didn't pack it in," Schwalbach said. "They were patient at the plate, made them throw strikes, and we got some baserunners on, and Biss had as big hit."
Earlier in the day, Escanaba beat Houghton, 7-2, while Negaunee dusted off Alpena, 5-3. Alpena beat Houghton in the third place game, 11-1, in five innings.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos taken by Sheila Olsen, and to hear radio replays from the game.
And then, in the ninth inning, the Miners scored an unearned run to take the lead and then held off a furious Eskymo rally in the bottom of the inning to post a 7-6 victory.
It was Negaunee's second tournament championship over the Eskymos this spring, and the Miners also won a tournament championship in Norway earlier this month.
For Eskymo Manager Kirk Schwalbach, the end result was disappointing.
"It's tough to take," Schwalbach said. "This kids are disappointed. But in the long run, this is going to build some character in the kids. It's going to make us better."
Final play of game gives Negaunee win
Escanaba shortstop Ben Kleiman couldn't field it cleanly, and the go-ahead run scored from third base.
The inning had started with #9 hitter Grant Johnson leading off with a single. He was bunted to second by Tyler Lajoie and was bunted to third by Chad Larson. With Negaunee's best player, Tyler Jandron, at the plate next, and Eric Lori due next after him, Schwalbach decided to intentionally walk both of them to load the bases.
McInerney then got Hunter Ridley to ground out to end the inning, leaving the bases loaded.
That set up the bottom of the ninth inning, when the Eskymos had their chance against Negaunee reliever Chad Larson.
Jack Valentine led off with a single, then Bailey Lamb followed with a double past a diving Dylan Tasson in left field.
That put runners at second and third with no outs. Hunter LaMarch hit a ground ball to the left side of the infield, and the left-handed shortstop Tyler Jandron made the play at the plate. Runners ended up at first and third, bringing up Lewis Ostrander.
Bailey Lamb huge double in ninth inning
Ostrander was hustling up the line, and it appeared that he beat the throw to first. That would have re-tied the game for the Eskymos, but the umpire call was "out", and the game ended.
Schwalbach says that his team is snakebitten, especially against Negaunee.
"Baseball is a funny game," he said. "Sometimes the ball just doesn't seem to go your way, and twice now against Negaunee, it hasn't gone our way. The kids are a little frustrated."
"But, like I said, it's going to make us better."
For most of the game, the Eskymos played with very little energy. It was their fourth game in less than 24 hours, and the team seemed to be flat. The top of the seventh inning was embarrassing, as the Eskymos committed three errors that allowed the Miners to score two runs and take a 6-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh.
Sean Bissell two-run single ties game
Jandron struck out Bailey Lamb, but he walked LaMarch to force in a run, making it a 6-4 game. Jandron fanned Ostrander, but Sean Bissell came through with a two-run single to left field to tie the game. That set up the extra-innings drama into the evening.
Kirk Schwalbach post-game comments
Earlier in the day, Escanaba beat Houghton, 7-2, while Negaunee dusted off Alpena, 5-3. Alpena beat Houghton in the third place game, 11-1, in five innings.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos taken by Sheila Olsen, and to hear radio replays from the game.
