GLADSTONE---An ugly win is better than a pretty loss.
That's the motto for the Gladstone Indians baseball team. For the second straight game, the Indians made errors and stranded runners in scoring position.
But also for the second straight game, the Indians managed to come from behind to win it at the very end. Gladstone beat Menominee, 5-4, in nine innings, after falling behind by two runs in the eighth inning. That win came one day after the Tribe trailed Iron Mountain, 4-0, in the fifth inning, before coming from behind to post a 10-5 win.
"I told the kids after the game that these are character-builders," Indians Manager Jim Groleau said. "You win games non-conference games coming from behind, you win conference games coming from behind, and now we'll have to win tournament games coming from behind. "
"You do it enough, it becomes habit," Groleau continued. "Not that I like playing from behind."
Gladstone had a chance to win in the bottom of the seventh when Paul Tomaszewski singled, got bunted to second by Blake Ballard, then went to third on a fly ball by Cody Frazer.
But Jared Stenson grounded out to short, sending the game to extra innings.
The top of the eighth inning was a nightmare for Gladstone. David Beck led off with a single, then after Derek Reiswitz flew out, Adam Saucier smoked a ball to Indians third baseman Colin O'Neal. He knocked the ball down, and it clearly stung him. But then he threw the ball wildly to first base, and runners were on second and third with one out.
The Red Wave decided to squeeze in the go-ahead run, and Riley Hegg put down a nice bunt.
The run scored, and Indians pitcher Levi Cunningham fieled the ball. Nobody covered first base, but Cunningham assumed someone would be there and he threw it anyway.
That errror allowed a second run to score, making it 4-2 Menominee.
But in the bottom of the eighth, the Indians rallied. Hayden Hardwick drew a one-out walk, then Matt Weyers got a pinch hit single to right.
Christian Groleau followed with a single to load the bases. Cunningham then hit a grounder that looked like it may sneak through, but the ball hit Weyers as he ran between second and third base. That was a dead ball.
Weyers was out, and the bases were still loaded with two out. That brought up Tomaszewski, and he smoked a ball to the fence in left-center field. Hardwick and Groleau scored, and Cunningham tried to score the winning run all the way from first base. He was tagged out at the plate, sending the game to the ninth.
"It was bases loaded, down by two in the eighth inning, perfect story for a walk-off," Tomaszewski said. "I knew that with the bases loaded, he wouldn't throw something junky in the dirt. So, I was looking for something fast and down the middle. First pitch, right down the middle, and I let it go. He came with the next one, right down the middle, and I just turned on it."
Tomaszewski admits that he was thinking about a home run there.
"Maybe I should have had another hot dog before the game" he laughed.
And what about Cunningham, who tried to score all the way from first base?
"Coach just said 'let er go' and I went as hard as I could," Cunningham said. "But me and the catcher just kind of met up at the end there."
Gladstone had momentum, though.
And Cunningham had confidence on the mound, as he worked his fifth inning in relief of starter Blake Ballard. Cunningham retired the Red Wave 1-2-3, including one nasty pitch that left Sam Schewe frozen and the crowd oohing-and-ahhing.
"I let it go real high, and then I just snapped it as hard as I could," Cunningham said. "It was beautiful. Every once in a while, I just keep a monster hanger and let it go."
In the bottom of the ninth, Frazer got a one-out single, and with two out, Jake Pearson got a base hit to left. The Red Wave left fielder went for the ball and it went right between his legs to the fence. Frazer scored all the way from first base to win the game.
Cunningham earned the win on the mound, the second time that he has beaten the Red Wave this season.
"I haven't pitched in a while, and I was like, 'man, this is a great feeling'," Cunningham said. "I got out there and tried my best. It was beautiful."
David Beck took the loss in relief for Menominee, going 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits. Sean Budzynski pitched the first three innings. At the plate, Budzynski had a double, single, and sacrafice bunt in the #9 hole.
Gladstone improved to 15-1 on the season while Menominee's record fell to 1-9.
The Indians host Oconto Falls for a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at 1:00. There will be no radio coverage because of Escanaba High School regional broadcasts.
Click the thumbnails in the "ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS" box to see more pictures, and to listen to audio highlights from the game.
That's the motto for the Gladstone Indians baseball team. For the second straight game, the Indians made errors and stranded runners in scoring position.
But also for the second straight game, the Indians managed to come from behind to win it at the very end. Gladstone beat Menominee, 5-4, in nine innings, after falling behind by two runs in the eighth inning. That win came one day after the Tribe trailed Iron Mountain, 4-0, in the fifth inning, before coming from behind to post a 10-5 win.
Paul Tomaszewski at second doing, um....
"You do it enough, it becomes habit," Groleau continued. "Not that I like playing from behind."
Gladstone had a chance to win in the bottom of the seventh when Paul Tomaszewski singled, got bunted to second by Blake Ballard, then went to third on a fly ball by Cody Frazer.
But Jared Stenson grounded out to short, sending the game to extra innings.
The top of the eighth inning was a nightmare for Gladstone. David Beck led off with a single, then after Derek Reiswitz flew out, Adam Saucier smoked a ball to Indians third baseman Colin O'Neal. He knocked the ball down, and it clearly stung him. But then he threw the ball wildly to first base, and runners were on second and third with one out.
Menominee's Sean Budzynski scores in the fifth as Cody Frazer goes to get the throw.
The run scored, and Indians pitcher Levi Cunningham fieled the ball. Nobody covered first base, but Cunningham assumed someone would be there and he threw it anyway.
That errror allowed a second run to score, making it 4-2 Menominee.
But in the bottom of the eighth, the Indians rallied. Hayden Hardwick drew a one-out walk, then Matt Weyers got a pinch hit single to right.
Christian Groleau followed with a single to load the bases. Cunningham then hit a grounder that looked like it may sneak through, but the ball hit Weyers as he ran between second and third base. That was a dead ball.
Weyers was out, and the bases were still loaded with two out. That brought up Tomaszewski, and he smoked a ball to the fence in left-center field. Hardwick and Groleau scored, and Cunningham tried to score the winning run all the way from first base. He was tagged out at the plate, sending the game to the ninth.
Paul Tomaszewski 2-Run Hit In Eighth.
Jake Pearson had two hits in the game.
"Maybe I should have had another hot dog before the game" he laughed.
And what about Cunningham, who tried to score all the way from first base?
"Coach just said 'let er go' and I went as hard as I could," Cunningham said. "But me and the catcher just kind of met up at the end there."
Gladstone had momentum, though.
And Cunningham had confidence on the mound, as he worked his fifth inning in relief of starter Blake Ballard. Cunningham retired the Red Wave 1-2-3, including one nasty pitch that left Sam Schewe frozen and the crowd oohing-and-ahhing.
"I let it go real high, and then I just snapped it as hard as I could," Cunningham said. "It was beautiful. Every once in a while, I just keep a monster hanger and let it go."
In the bottom of the ninth, Frazer got a one-out single, and with two out, Jake Pearson got a base hit to left. The Red Wave left fielder went for the ball and it went right between his legs to the fence. Frazer scored all the way from first base to win the game.
Levi Cunningham pitched well in relief.
"I haven't pitched in a while, and I was like, 'man, this is a great feeling'," Cunningham said. "I got out there and tried my best. It was beautiful."
David Beck took the loss in relief for Menominee, going 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits. Sean Budzynski pitched the first three innings. At the plate, Budzynski had a double, single, and sacrafice bunt in the #9 hole.
Gladstone improved to 15-1 on the season while Menominee's record fell to 1-9.
The Indians host Oconto Falls for a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at 1:00. There will be no radio coverage because of Escanaba High School regional broadcasts.
Click the thumbnails in the "ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS" box to see more pictures, and to listen to audio highlights from the game.
