GLADSTONE---The Gladstone Indians held back on their pitchers Wednesday in preparation for this weekend's tournament in Newberry.
But the Newberry Warriors did no such thing, throwing high school All-Stater Jagger McCudden in the first game of the doubleheader at Don Olsen Field.
McCudden kept his team in it before a couple of key errors in the sixth inning helped the Indians to post a 4-3 victory. The second game ended up in a 2-2 tie after six innings of play as heavy thunderstorms rolled into Gladstone.
Despite the fact that the Warriors are hosting a tournament this Saturday, McCudden was put on the mound Wednesday night.
That's because the Warriors hadn't played a game in nearly two weeks. And McCudden threw a complete game against the Indians.
He would have had the pitching victory if not for a bad throw in the bottom of the sixth inning (these were six-inning games) that tied the game for Gladstone.
Newberry, led, 3-2, but McCudden gave up a one-out single to Hunter Garling.
When Garling stole second, the ball was thrown away by catcher Mitchell Edison. Garling ended up at third base, and after Christian Groleau walked, the Indians had two men on.
But moments later, Garling got caught in a pickle between third and home. Edison's throw went over the third baseman's head, and into left field. So, instead of being the final out of the game, Garling scored, and the game was tied at 3-3.
Groleau ended up at third base, and after James Capodilupo struck out, Jake Peterson came to the plate.
He worked the count to 3-2 before hitting a bouncing ball up the middle for the game-winning base hit, taking victory from the jaws of defeat.
Earlier in the game, Gladstone took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Hayden Hardwick hit into a double play, with Christian Tackman scoring on the play.
Newberry took a 2-1 lead in the third inning against Indians pitcher Lucas LaCosse on an RBI double by Kyle Welty and an RBI single by Tom Robbins. In the bottom of the third, Peterson got his first base hit of the game and scored on a Cody Frazer double.
It stayed 2-2 until the top of the sixth inning when the Warriors got three straight hits and LaCosse hit Ian Stokes to force in the go-ahead run. LaCosse managed to get the next two outs, stranding three runners on base, and setting up the bottom of the sixth.
LaCosse got the complete-game win, allowing three runs on seven hits. He struck six and walked only one. McCudden took the loss, allowing four runs on nine hits.
In the second game, the Indians scored in the first inning when Tackman singled, stole second, and scored on a hit by Frazer. Then in the fourth inning, Gladstone took a 2-0 lead when Frazer singled and eventually scored on a Justin Jurek base hit.
Frazer, who was 3-for-3 in the first game, was 2-for-3 in the nightcap.
Gladstone's pitcher in the nightcap, Peterson, carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning. But Mitchell Wilson broke that up with a lead-off single, then Dakota Zuhlke was safe on an error.
Ian Stampfly walked to load the bases with no outs in the inning.
Peterson managed to get a strikeout of the next batter, but Dustin Brown executed a perfect squeeze bunt for a single and an RBI to make it a 2-1 game. Then Welty hit a fly ball to center field and it was deep enough to score the tying run.
The Indians tried to regain the lead in the bottom of the fifth when LaCosse got a single and stole second base. But he was thrown out trying to steal third to end the inning.
Gladstone's last chance came in the bottom of the sixth when Hardwick drew a two-out walk. But Jake Pearson flew out to end the inning, and then the bad weather arrived.
The two teams agreed to end the game there, and moments later, the field was flooded with heavy rain, and frequent lightning and thunder.
Gladstone (14-10-1) returns to action Saturday in Newberry at the Warriors' Post #74 Tournament. The Indians will first face the Sault Ste. Marie (Ont.) Black Sox at 8:30 Saturday morning. Then, Gladstone faces the Newberry team at 12:30.
There will be no radio coverage of these games, but we will post updates on this web page throughout the weekend.
You can see photos from (taken by Kym Frazer) and listen to some audio highlights by clicking the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box.
But the Newberry Warriors did no such thing, throwing high school All-Stater Jagger McCudden in the first game of the doubleheader at Don Olsen Field.
McCudden kept his team in it before a couple of key errors in the sixth inning helped the Indians to post a 4-3 victory. The second game ended up in a 2-2 tie after six innings of play as heavy thunderstorms rolled into Gladstone.
Jake Peterson touches home with a Gladstone run in Wednesday's opener.
That's because the Warriors hadn't played a game in nearly two weeks. And McCudden threw a complete game against the Indians.
He would have had the pitching victory if not for a bad throw in the bottom of the sixth inning (these were six-inning games) that tied the game for Gladstone.
Newberry, led, 3-2, but McCudden gave up a one-out single to Hunter Garling.
When Garling stole second, the ball was thrown away by catcher Mitchell Edison. Garling ended up at third base, and after Christian Groleau walked, the Indians had two men on.
But moments later, Garling got caught in a pickle between third and home. Edison's throw went over the third baseman's head, and into left field. So, instead of being the final out of the game, Garling scored, and the game was tied at 3-3.
Jake Peterson game-winning RBI hit.
He worked the count to 3-2 before hitting a bouncing ball up the middle for the game-winning base hit, taking victory from the jaws of defeat.
Lucas LaCosse tossed a seven-hitter.
Newberry took a 2-1 lead in the third inning against Indians pitcher Lucas LaCosse on an RBI double by Kyle Welty and an RBI single by Tom Robbins. In the bottom of the third, Peterson got his first base hit of the game and scored on a Cody Frazer double.
It stayed 2-2 until the top of the sixth inning when the Warriors got three straight hits and LaCosse hit Ian Stokes to force in the go-ahead run. LaCosse managed to get the next two outs, stranding three runners on base, and setting up the bottom of the sixth.
LaCosse got the complete-game win, allowing three runs on seven hits. He struck six and walked only one. McCudden took the loss, allowing four runs on nine hits.
In the second game, the Indians scored in the first inning when Tackman singled, stole second, and scored on a hit by Frazer. Then in the fourth inning, Gladstone took a 2-0 lead when Frazer singled and eventually scored on a Justin Jurek base hit.
Frazer, who was 3-for-3 in the first game, was 2-for-3 in the nightcap.
University of Tennessee golfer Mike Nagy of Manistique ump'd the doubleheader.
Ian Stampfly walked to load the bases with no outs in the inning.
Peterson managed to get a strikeout of the next batter, but Dustin Brown executed a perfect squeeze bunt for a single and an RBI to make it a 2-1 game. Then Welty hit a fly ball to center field and it was deep enough to score the tying run.
The Indians tried to regain the lead in the bottom of the fifth when LaCosse got a single and stole second base. But he was thrown out trying to steal third to end the inning.
Gladstone's last chance came in the bottom of the sixth when Hardwick drew a two-out walk. But Jake Pearson flew out to end the inning, and then the bad weather arrived.
Newberry Ties Game; Storms Come.
Gladstone (14-10-1) returns to action Saturday in Newberry at the Warriors' Post #74 Tournament. The Indians will first face the Sault Ste. Marie (Ont.) Black Sox at 8:30 Saturday morning. Then, Gladstone faces the Newberry team at 12:30.
There will be no radio coverage of these games, but we will post updates on this web page throughout the weekend.
You can see photos from (taken by Kym Frazer) and listen to some audio highlights by clicking the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box.
