Click the thumbnails to see video highligjhts, and to hear post-game comments from Negaunee's Killean Ryan and Escanaba Manager Mike Rymkos.
ESCANABA---The Negaunee Senior Legion Baseball team rallied from a 4-0 deficit Wednesday night to beat the Escanaba Cubs, 10-4, at Al Ness Field.
Both teams used multiple pitchers as they prepare to compete in tournaments this weekend. The Cubs will compete in the Marinette Firecracker Tournament, and Negaunee will play in a tournament in Sault Ste. Marie. Both start on Friday.
There were multiple runs that crossed the plate on wild pitches in this game, for both teams. And some guys played in new positions and struggled on defense.
Escanaba's Ashton Rymkos pitched the first three innings, and after allowing a lead-off single to Owen Cardinal, retired the final nine men he faced. He was pulled after throwing 45 pitches to keep him eligible for this weekend's Firecracker tournament.
Negaunee starter Connor Munson threw the first two innings and was charged with all four runs, with Graham Johnson's two-run double making it 3-0 in the second inning.
But 16-year-old Killean Ryan came in to shut things down on the mound for Neagunee, throwing three scoreless innings and allowing two hits and issuing a pair of walks.
“Today's game was interesting,” Ryan said. “We started off pretty slow on offense. We didn't get the greatest at-bats, but then, we came back, pretty close to the fifth inning there, and took over.”
And what about his pitching?
“I knew I was being kept to a (pitch) limit because of a tournament this weekend,” Ryan said. “I just did my best. I did what I normally do. I didn't really change much. I felt it out, and did what I needed to do.”
Negaunee scored three runs in the fourth inning to get close, and then scored six runs in the top of the sixth inning against rookie Cubs pitcher Jerry Wangrud.
Cubs Manager Mike Rykmos liked what he saw from Wangrud, despite the runs.
“First time Jerry pitched for me,” Rymkos said. “He's got a good look, a good delivery. I was happy with him. We had a couple of errors there. The boys kicked the ball around, and we had a misplay in the outfield. But that's OK. Jerry pitched well. We got to see what he's got.”
The game ended with Negaunee's Isak Ruspakka making a diving catch in shallow right field, near the foul line robbing the Cubs and batter Blake Gagnon of two runs.
Negaunee improved to 5-4 on the season, and the new team still has not played a home game, after playing in tournaments in Wisconsin and at Bay College.
Escanaba, meanwhile, fell to 3-3 on the season, with all six games at Al Ness Field.
There was a second game scheduled Wednesday night, but while the teams were getting ready, one of the umpires noticed lightning in the distance. That put things on hold, and a moment later, the game was canceled. Light rain fell a few minutes later.
“I wanted to get another game in,” Rymkos said. “I wanted to cycle in more pitchers. Get Joey (Garcia) back on the mound and see if he could tighten it up a bit. Maybe even throw Cooper (Curtis). But, it is what it is.”
