Click the thumbnails to see video highlights, photos taken by Nick Stoken, and hear post-game comments from both coaches and from Tyler Darmogray. Also hear the Christian Groleau ceremony and the radio broadcast of the 7th Inning.

GLADSTONE---Somehow, Christian Groleau may have reached onto Don Olsen Field and helped his Gladstone Indians win one more baseball game late Friday night as the Indians picked up an improbable 5-4 win over the Escanaba Cubs.

Groleau, a member of the 2014 Gladstone state champion team who committed suicide, was remembered before the game as the Third Annual Christian Groleau college scholarship ceremony was held. The $500 is given every year to an Indians player who shows high-quality character and sportsmanship. This year's award was given to Tyler Darmogray, who will attend college and play baseball at Bay College next year.

“It feels really good knowing that I was able to receive this scholarship,” Darmogray said. “That they (the Groleau family) gave that trust into me. I feel like I worked hard for it. So, thank you to the family. And I feel this will help me throughout my college experience.”

“Every year, it's a great ceremony for Christian,” Escanaba Manager Jon Bintner said. “I'm glad that we're a part of that. It's an honor. It's an honor to be invited here on this Friday night every year, and to be a part of that ceremony for him.”

Well, then, it was Darmogray who came on in relief to strike out six straight batters to keep his team in the game, and it was Darmogray who hit the ball to second base with the bases loaded and two out in the bottom of the seventh inning.

That ball went through the legs of second baseman Jarret Olsen into right field, and instead of a 4-3 loss, Gladstone had a 5-4 walk-off victory.

Could Groleau have had a hand in moving that ball past Olsen at second base?

“I think he did,” Darmogray said in the radio post-game show.

Besides the Angel in the Outfield theory, the Indians won this game partly because Cubs pitcher Eli Gardner hit three batters in the bottom of the seventh inning while trying to protect a 4-2 lead. One of those free passes forced in a run, just before the ground ball that ended with an improbable error.

Gladstone also won because of a great diving catch in center field by Johnny Soderman in the seventh inning, robbing Chase Cloutier of extra bases. Darmogray then gave up a hit to Gardner and then Jack McEvers got his second run-scoring hit of the game, giving Escanaba a 4-2 lead that they would lose on the very last play of the game.

“All I know is, I saw ball, I hit ball, but it wasn't a very good swing,” Darmogray said. “Chopped it right into the ground. Saw it went right between the second baseman's legs and saw our two runners score and we won!”

Bintner just shook his head.

“We got what we wanted,” he said. “Jack got us that clutch base hit in the seventh off a very tough pitcher and you get that two-run cushion that you want. Eli, it seemed like both him and Bon (LaChance), both trying to do too much tonight."

"Instead of being pitchers, they were throwers. It didn't work. Completely out of character, hitting guys with two strikes. It's something we have to revisit and work on. We'll come back.”

Gladstone Manager Scott Kwarciany says he knows he Bintner feels.

“Opening game of the season, we had a lead going into the last inning and they beat us over there,” Kwarciany said. “I told the kids, remember how you felt over there, and now, you're on the other end of it. Credit to Escanaba. They played well and did what they needed to do and got up on us early. And credit our kids for playing hard and not giving up. It's unfortunate for Escanaba that it ended on an error, but sometimes you get the break at the right time.”

Earlier, Escanaba took a 3-0 lead in the first inning on McEvers' line drive RBI double to right field, an RBI groundout by Bryce Blixt, and an RBI single by Isaiah Brow.

From there, Brennon Detiege put up three scoreless innings until he ran out of steam in the fourth inning. That's when Darmogray came in and struck out six straight batters to keep the Indians in the game.

“I felt very good,” Darmogray said. “I haven't pitched in two weeks, almost. When I was warming up in the bullpen, I was feeling good. When I came out, I was throwing pretty good out there.”

Soderman had an RBI single in the first inning to get Gladstone on the board, and then Gavin Frossard scored on a bases loaded walk in the third inning to make it 3-2.

Gladstone improved to 3-4 on the season, while Escanaba fell to 5-6 overall. The Cubs and Indians are both off for the next weekend when Escanaba travels to Sault Ste. Marie for a tournament, and Gladstone travels to a tournament in Antigo, Wis.