Gladstone, Escanaba Victorious in Opening Games

This story was written by RRN Intern Braden Kerr

GLADSTONE--- The Escanaba and Gladstone Minor Little League All-Star teams each got opening game victories at the State Tournament in Gladstone. Gladstone defeated Grosse Pointe 3-2 in nine innings. Escanaba faced Clare and came out on top 6-3.

GLADSTONE 3 VS. GROSSE POINTE 2 (9 INN)---Both starting pitchers took their team as far as they could go before the game went into extra innings. Addy Sanville took the circle for Gladstone while Catherine Foka got the ball for Grosse Pointe.

Sanville allowed one run, unearned, on only two hits while striking out 13 and walking three in six innings of work. Reese Lovell picked up the win by working three innings in relief surrendering no hits while walking two and striking out three.

The tiebreaker runner scored in the ninth inning.

Foka allowed one run on three hits while only walking one and striking out 12 in her six innings. Sophia Dragovic was the losing pitcher for Grosse Pointe who allowed one run on one hit while walking three and striking out five. The tiebreaker runner scored in the ninth inning.

Grosse Pointe took the lead in the fourth inning when Ava Gerardi singled for their first hit of the game. Gerardi stole second and advanced to third on an error. A passed ball allowed Gerardi to come home for the first run of the day.

Reagan Carter singled with one out in the sixth inning and Addy Sanville came to the plate down one run with two outs. Sanville smacked the ball to left field and Carter came all the way around to tie the game and send the game to extras.

Both relief pitchers cruised through the seventh inning before the international tiebreaker rule came into effect for the eighth inning. At the start of each half inning a runner will be placed on second base.

In the top of the eighth Reese Lovell struck out the first batter and induced a groundout with the runner advancing to third. Ava Gerardi ran the count full before Lovell got strike three swinging to get out of the inning.

In the bottom of the eighth Dragovic got the first batter to pop-up, but the runner advanced to third on a passed ball. Another passed ball saw the runner take off for home, but she was cut down at the plate to keep the game tied.

In the ninth inning Vivi Lindow hit a sacrifice fly to give Grosse Pointe the lead. Lovell got out of the inning without allowing another run.

Brynlee Larson singled to start the bottom of the inning bringing in the run to tie the game. Larson stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball. Following a walk and a HBP the bases were loaded. Another passed ball from Grosse Pointe allowed Larson to make her way home and end the game.

Vivi Lindow had the only RBI of the game for Grosse Pointe while Ava Gardner had one hit and scored two runs.

Addy Larson had the big RBI double for Gladstone while Brynlee Larson had an RBI single and scored the game winning run. Reagan Carter and Ruby Tuljus both also collected hits.

Both teams are in action on Saturday for the second game of pool play. Gladstone takes on Blissfield at 12:30 PM and then Grosse Pointe and Edwardsburg face of at 3 PM. Both games will take place at Gladstone High School.

ESCANABA 6 VS. CLARE 3---The Escanaba Minor Little League All-Stars jumped all over Clare in the first inning to set the tone for the game. Escanaba scored three runs in the first inning and stayed in control for the rest of the game.

Braelyn Grandchamp and Izzy Perryman got on base with walks, and both would score on a passed ball two put Escanaba ahead 2-0. Adelynn Humbert walked and scored on a single from Gabby Parlato.

Grandchamp was the starting pitcher and guided Escanaba through six innings allowing three runs on six hits while striking out ten and walking none to pick up the win.

In the bottom of the second Teegan Randle and Aubree Brewer singled with one out. With two outs Jade Alexander singled into right field to score Randle. With runners on second and third Grandchamp got the strikeout to end the inning.

Koeller Hayes hit the ball to right field and went all the way around to score and extend the lead to 4-1.

In the top of fifth inning Kinsley Williams singled to score Izzy Perryman. Williams went around to third on a passed ball and then scored on a wild pitch to make the score 6-1.

In the bottom of the fifth Clare singled twice to put runners on and with two outs Teegan Randle singled home both runs to bring the game to just within reach. Grandchamp ended the game with a strikeout for Escanaba.

Teegan Randle hat two hits, two RBI, and scored a run to lead the Clare offense while Lauren Louch had a hit and scored a run.

Kinsley Williams, Gabby Parlato, and Koeller Hayes all had hits and drove in a run to lead a balanced Escanaba attack and Izzy Perryman walked twice and scored two runs.

Both teams are in action on Saturday for the second game of pool play. Escanaba will face off with Taylor North at 12:30 at Gladstone High School while Clare will play Hudsonville at the Gladstone Sports Park.

Two other Upper Peninsula teams are also competing this weekend. Marquette, the District Eleven champions, lost to Kalamazoo West Portage in Friday's opener, 10-0. Norway, District Ten's third entry into the tournament, did not play Friday because its opponent from lower Michigan withdrew.