|
Indians Whip Negaunee Twice; Clinch League Title
 GLADSTONE----The Gladstone Indians have accomplished the first goal that was set in the pre-season: win the Mid Peninsula League Championship. Next up: beating Escanaba, winning the U.P. Championship, and winning the State Championship. Gladstone mathematically clinched the league championship Tuesday night by beating the Negaunee Diamonds, 16-0 and 12-4, in a doubleheader at Don Olsen Field. 
Rookie Lucas Bero makes his Indians debut.
"I'm happy, it couldn't be better," Indians outfielder Luke LaCosse said. "They way we have played all season, it's just a great accomplishment." The Indians played a Negaunee team that has suffered from a lack of participation from the kids who made up the bulk of the Negaunee High School team. The Diamonds had only nine guys, and some of them were very young. "You could tell," Indians Manager Jim Groleau said. "Coach (Robbie) Jandron did say that he had a couple of 13-year-olds on the team, and I give their kids credit. It's tough playing against 18, 19 year-old kids at the age of 13. But they have a bright future." In the first game, Gladstone scored five runs in the first inning as Hayden Hardwick and Jake Pearson each had run-scoring doubles. The rest of the runs scored on wild pitches and errors. In the second inning, the Indians scored ten more times. 
Rookie Christian Groleau on the mound.
More errors, passed balls on third strikes, and stolen bases allowed the rest of the runs to score. The situation allowed Groleau to use all 17 of his players. Yes, 17! Some of the Junior Indians players have been brought up to the big team to get their feet wet in Legion ball as the regular season starts to wind down. "For most of the season, we haven't had a bench," Coach Groleau said. "So, it was nice to look down the bench and see some players there. I was able to get them all into the game, and that was good. Coming in, I had no idea what Negaunee had." Pearson got the win on the mound, allowing just one hit (to Zac Makela) in three innings of work. Levi Cunningham tossed the final two innings, going six-up, six-down. Tyler Jandron, still coming back from last spring's knee injury, pitched a complete game for Negaunee. He gave up all 16 runs, but only three were earned. Jandron gave up seven hits and walked six batters. But he also struck out 11 guys in five innings. 
Negaunee pitcher Tyler Jandron throws.
The Indians scored three more runs in the second inning on another RBI hit by Frazer, a pop fly single by Hardwick, and a Negaunee throwing error. It was a 6-0 game. A variety of errors and other mistakes allowed Gladstone to score five more runs in the third inning. Paul Tomaszewski just missed a home run and had to settle for an RBI double, and Frazer had his third RBI base hit of the game during that inning. It was 11-0 and on the way to another mercy rule, but the Diamonds were able to rally against Indians pitcher Christian Groleau. Groleau walked three guys, threw a wild pitch that allowed a run to score, and gave up RBI hits to Aaron Hodges and Eric Wideman. Groleau pitched five innings, allowing three runs. What was working for him? "Fastballs, mostly," he said. "Every once in a while, Paul (Tomaszewski) would mix in a few change-ups and curveballs. But I was a little wild on the curveball." 
Hayden Hardwick was strong at the plate.
Earlier, as the right fielder, LaCosse threw out three batters at first base. That is, guys who would have had base hits were thrown out like girls softball girls do. "I didn't think it was possible," LaCosse said. "I pretty much bobbled all three of them, so I don't know how it happened, but it did. I normally get a "waffle-butt" from playing the fence (deep), but he told me to play shallow, so I did." For Negaunee (2-12 overall, with two forfeit wins), it meant being able to play a full seven innings without being mercied. The Diamonds are down this summer because many of the kids who made up a pretty good Negaunee High School Miners team chose not to play Legion ball. Aaron Hodges pitched the whole way, allowing 12 runs (five earned) on 11 hits in six innings of work. He struck out eight batters and walked only three. Christian Groleau threw well for the Indians, pitching no-hit ball for the first three innings, until he gave up those three runs in the fourth inning. Gladstone (28-7 overall) hosts Kingsford Thursday night in what could be an interesting game, since neither team needs to win it to improve their spot in the league standings. "It's probably gonna be one of those 18-16 games," Coach Groleau laughed. "We're gonna throw whatever arm we've got on the bench, and they're probably gonna do the same at us. But we'll have fun, anyways." Nevertheless, the game will be broadcast live at 6:30 ET on WCHT-AM (600), and on the Internet at www.rrnsports.com. Click the thumbnails in the "ARTICLE HIGHLGHTS" box to see more photos from the doubleheader. Thanks to Kym Frazer for taking pictures! 
Peyton Jurek takes a big swing during Tuesday night's game against Negaunee Diamonds.
|
| Date | Time | Opponent | Score | Record |
5/2 |
6:30 PM |
Marquette Redmen
|
11 - 1 (W)
|
1-0
|
5/6 |
1:00 PM |
Channing Railroaders
|
10 - 0 (W)
|
2-0
|
5/9 |
7:30 PM |
Escanaba Eskymos
|
5 - 4 (W)
|
3-0
|
5/12 |
1:00 PM |
at Menominee Red Wave Legion
|
3 - 2 (W)
|
4-0
|
5/12 |
3:30 PM |
at Menominee Red Wave Legion
|
15 - 3 (W)
|
5-0
|
5/14 |
6:30 PM |
at Marquette Redmen
|
3 - 2 (W)
|
6-0
|
5/18 |
6:30 PM |
at Ishpeming Blue Storm
|
10 - 1 (W)
|
7-0
|
5/19 |
12:00 PM |
at Channing Railroaders
|
12 - 2 (W)
|
8-0
|
5/19 |
2:30 PM |
at Channing Railroaders
|
9 - 1 (W)
|
9-0
|
5/22 |
6:30 PM |
at Marquette Blues
|
2 - 5 (L)
|
9-1
|
5/29 |
6:30 PM |
Ishpeming Blue Storm
|
4 - 0 (W)
|
10-1
|
5/30 |
6:00 PM |
at Escanaba Eskymos
|
4 - 3 (W)
|
11-1
|
6/3 |
4:00 PM |
Iron Mountain Golds
|
7 - 0 (W)
|
12-1 For.
|
6/3 |
6:30 PM |
Iron Mountain Golds
|
7 - 0 (W)
|
13-1 For.
|
6/5 |
6:30 PM |
at Iron Mountain Golds
|
10 - 5 (W)
|
14-1
|
6/6 |
7:00 PM |
Menominee Red Wave Legion
|
5 - 4 (W)
|
15-1
|
6/9 |
1:00 PM |
Oconto Falls Legion
|
7 - 10 (L)
|
15-2
|
6/9 |
3:30 PM |
Oconto Falls Legion
|
12 - 2 (W)
|
16-2
|
6/12 |
6:30 PM |
Kingsford Legion Blues
|
4 - 3 (W)
|
17-2
|
6/14 |
6:30 PM |
Marquette Blues
|
3 - 0 (W)
|
18-2
|
6/17 |
1:00 PM |
at Kingsford Legion Blues
|
11 - 2 (W)
|
19-2
|
6/17 |
3:30 PM |
at Kingsford Legion Blues
|
11 - 6 (W)
|
20-2
|
6/20 |
6:30 PM |
Channing Railroaders
|
8 - 2 (W)
|
21-2
|
6/22 |
5:30 PM |
Eastern U.P. Travelers
|
5 - 4 (W)
|
22-2
|
6/22 |
8:00 PM |
Ash-Port, Wis.
|
1 - 11 (L)
|
22-3
|
6/23 |
12:45 PM |
Midland Berryhill
|
2 - 10 (L)
|
22-4
|
6/23 |
5:15 PM |
Sault Ste. Marie (Ontario) Black Sox
|
11 - 6 (W)
|
23-4
|
6/24 |
11:30 AM |
DePere Panthers
|
5 - 6 (L)
|
23-5
|
6/28 |
6:30 PM |
at Ash-Port, Wis.
|
1 - 13 (L)
|
23-6
|
6/29 |
1:30 PM |
at Neenah, Wis.
|
3 - 7 (L)
|
23-7
|
6/30 |
11:00 AM |
at Hortonville, Wis.
|
11 - 4 (W)
|
24-7
|
7/5 |
6:30 PM |
Channing Railroaders
|
10 - 0 (W)
|
25-7
|
7/8 |
4:00 AM |
Iron Mountain Golds
|
1 - 0 (W)
|
26-7for
|
7/8 |
12:00 PM |
Hancock Legion
|
6 - 2 (W)
|
27-7
|
7/8 |
2:30 PM |
Hancock Legion
|
8 - 3 (W)
|
28-7
|
7/10 |
5:30 PM |
Negaunee Diamonds
|
16 - 0 (W)
|
29-7
|
7/10 |
8:00 PM |
Negaunee Diamonds
|
12 - 4 (W)
|
30-7
|
7/12 |
6:30 PM |
Kingsford Legion Blues
|
8 - 2 (W)
|
31-7
|
7/14 |
3:00 PM |
Iron Mountain Golds
|
7 - 0 (W)
|
32-7
|
7/14 |
8:00 PM |
Channing Railroaders
|
14 - 0 (W)
|
33-7
|
7/15 |
1:00 PM |
at Marquette Blues
|
3 - 5 (L)
|
33-8
|
7/19 |
8:00 PM |
at Escanaba Cubs
|
3 - 0 (W)
|
34-8
|
7/21 |
12:00 PM |
Eastern U.P. Travelers
|
6 - 5 (W)
|
35-8
|
7/21 |
2:30 PM |
Eastern U.P. Travelers
|
0 - 16 (L)
|
35-9
|
7/26 |
3:00 PM |
Hancock Legion
|
9 - 6 (W)
|
36-9
|
7/27 |
9:00 AM |
Kingsford Legion Blues
|
9 - 7 (W)
|
37-9
|
7/27 |
3:00 PM |
Channing Railroaders
|
14 - 4 (W)
|
38-9
|
7/28 |
10:30 AM |
Escanaba Cubs
|
6 - 7 (L)
|
38-10
|
8/2 |
10:30 AM |
Hudson Legion
|
11 - 13 (L)
|
38-11
|
8/3 |
10:00 AM |
Menominee Red Wave Legion
|
6 - 7 (L)
|
38-12
|
