Click the thumbnails for video highlights and post-game comments from Escanaba Manager Scott Hanson.
ADA, Mich.---It was another down-to-the wire game for the Escanaba Eskymos baseball team on Saturday, as they battled the fifth ranked Kenowa Hills Knights in the MHSAA Division Two regional championship game in suburban Grand Rapids.
The Eskymos had plenty of chances to score, especially early in the game, but could not get the big hit. Escanaba's season came to an end with a heartbreaking 1-0 loss.
“We very much had a chance to win this and we didn't, but we were right there, 1-0,” Eskymo Manager Scott Hanson said. “It's a bummer we can't go to that quarterfinal game. That's disappointing. But the reality is it's been a great season.”
In the first inning, Escanaba got a leadoff walk from Brody Ison and a two-out single down the left field line by Mikaiden Hughes. But with two men on base, Lenny Peacock struck out swinging on a 3-2 pitch to end the threat.
In the second inning, a one-out single by Cannon Arnt gave the Eskymos another chance, and then Alex Irving was hit by a pitch. Bryce Bichler bunted them over to second and third, and Ison walked (again) to load the bases with two outs. Graham Johnson, however, popped up to the second baseman to end the threat.
In the third inning, Ashton Rymkos and Peacock both had infield base hits, and the Eskymos again had two men on base. But Brian Boutlier was called out on strikes for the second out, and Arnt popped up to the shortstop.
That's seven baserunners stranded in the first three innings for Escanaba.
Meanwhile, Peacock was matching the work of Knights pitcher Andrew Lake.
The only Knight to reach base against Peacock in the first three innings was on a strikeout with a wild pitch back to the netting.
Finally, in the bottom of the fourth inning, the Knights (36-2) got on the scoreboard. Mason Peebles got a base hit with one out, and stole second. Jack Stoddard hit a chopper that bounced between Rymkos and first and Johnson at second, taking a high hop into the outfield on this artificial turf.
That base hit allowed Peebles to score, making it a 1-0 game.
Lake retired the Eskymos in order in the fifth inning, and in the bottom of the fifth inning, Peacock walked a man and hit another, putting two men on base. But Peacock kept it a 1-0 game when he got Will Fussman to hit into a fielder's choice grounder.
Escanaba had another chance in the top of the sixth inning when Peacock and Boutilier both walked to start the inning. That's when Hanson brought in his best bunter, Kaiden Pastorick, and Pastorick got the bunt down in front of the plate. Good bunt, but an even better defensive play by the Knights to get the out at third base.
“They got us with an amazing bunt (defense) play,” Hanson said. “Kaiden bunted it perfect. The kid had to make an awesome play to get that. They sent their second baseman! He charged the ball right away.”
Irving then popped up and Bichler grounded out, and another Eskymo scoring chance was gone, as the men-left-on-base reached nine.
Peacock came out to throw the bottom of the sixth inning, and he only had four pitches left, thanks in part to a third inning marathon at-bat when he struck out Brennon Gustinis, but needed twelve pitches to finally get that out.
Still, Peacock managed to get two outs with those four pitches, but gave up a single to Stoddard on what would be his final high school pitch after four years in an Eskymo uniform. Arnt relieved him, got a strikeout, keeping it 1-0 heading to the seventh.
“Lenny is one of the best competitors I have ever coached, he holds himself to such a high standard, snd I appreciate that,” Hanson said. “The effort he gave today was absolutely unreal. I mean, that team could really hit.”
In the seventh inning, one final chance for the Eskymos. Johnson got a solid base hit to left-center field with one out. But Rymkos bounced into a 6-4-3 double play, ending a run for a group of the guys that goes all the way back to Little League and travel ball.
“Lenny and Cannon have been pitching (varsity) for four years and Ashton was up for three,” Hanson said. “Graham Johnson, what an addition to our team this year. Where did they leave the program when they left? Our seven seniors. I think we're in a better place. I think we're respected around the state and I think we showed it today.”
Peacock finished with the loss, allowing just one run on three hits. He struck out ten batters, walked one, and hit one. Kenowa Hills had just five baserunners that entire game, but it got the job done.
The Knights won the regional championship with that one, and then punched their ticket to Michigan State University with a 8-2 win over Standish-Sterling in the state quarterfinal later in the day.
For Escanaba (25-9), it was a day of “what ifs”.
What if Johnson gets the solid hit not in the seventh inning, but earlier, with the bases loaded? What if Boutilier gets one of his usual opposite-field base hits with two men on? What if Kenowa Hills made just one error when the Eskymos had men on base?
Well, none of that happened, but Hanson was not whining about it after the game.
“That's a team that if we played ten times, I'd say it would be 5-5,” Hanson said. “It's sad when your season is over, but I think we came down here and showed that it's Just Baseball. We can't be sad that it ended. It's been a great journey with these guys.”
