SOGGY VICTORY: Gladstone Tops Manitowoc 15-12
Click the thumbnails to see photos and videos from the game, as well as from Friday's Manitowoc-Menominee game.
MARINETTE, Wis.---The Gladstone Indians American Legion baseball team literally mucked it up on Saturday as they played the Manitowoc Legion team in the Marinette Firecracker Tournament. In a 3-hour-12 minute marathon that included time outs to dry the mound and plate, the Indians held on for a 15-12 win.
The game was the only one of the eight scheduled on Saturday to play, as a steady rain started falling when the teams were in the third inning. The decision was made to finish this game, but all of the others were postponed until Sunday. The games that were already scheduled for Sunday have been cancelled, so all teams will get three total games for the tournament.
Saturday's game was played on the small Haase Field next to the main Pedersen Ballpark, and the teams took advantage of the tiny 300-foot dimensions. Especially late in the game. as the rain fell harder and both teams had six-run innings.
Luckily for Gladstone, when Manitowoc scored six times on three long home runs in the top of the seventh inning, they already had a nine-run lead.
Early in the game, the Indians helped pitcher Trevor Hanson with inning-ending double plays in both the first and second innings. Then Dayton Bernson clubbed a solo home run to the right of the left field scoreboard to give Gladstone a 3-1 lead.
The Indians grew that lead to 6-1 in the fourth inning when Ryan Polley smacked a two-run doible down the right field line, and Caden Alworden with a base hit to bring home Tyler Darmogray, but Polley was thrown out at the plate.
But the veteran Manitowoc team, which had smoked three two-run homers on Friday against Menominee on the big field, scored five runs in the top of the fifth inning to tie the game.
Robert Shimek smoked a bases-loaded shot off of the top of the yellow tube on the outfield fence to bring home two runs, and Alex Lensmeyer added a sacrafice fly.
The Indians scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth with Darmogray breaking the tie with a sacrafice fly. A wild pitch scored Nick Martin (who was hit by a pitch earlier in the inning) and when Polley struck out, the ball got away, and Dylan Pepin got muddy on a slide home.
Gladstone brought in freshman John Soderman to relieve Hanson on the mound. He held Manitowoc scoreless in the top of the sixth, then the Indians scored six runs in the bottom of the inning as teh rain started falling more heavily.
Darmogray had a two-run single and Alworden a sacrafice fly during that inning.
In the top of the seventh, Ridge Guyette lofted a three-run homer over the left-center field fence to cut the lead to 15-9. Then Hunter Chalupny followed with a two-run homer of his own. Alworden came in to pitch, and he gaveup a homer to Ben Walsh.
All of a sudden, it was 15-12, and Alworden hit the next man with a pitch. Finally, he got a called third strike to end the sloppy, marathon game.
Gladstone and Manitowoc will be the only teams not to play a doubleheader on Sunday.
The Indians will face the Green Bay Preble Shockers at 4 ET/3 CT. The game will be broadcast on WCHT-FM (93.5/AM-600) and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.
Manitowoc will face Marquette at 4 CT/5 ET.
SUNDAY SCHEDULE (Weather Permitting)
11 am CT/Noon ET---Escanaba vs Green Bay Preble Shockers
12:30 CT/1:30 ET---Marquette vs Marinette (LIVE on FM-100.3)
1:30 CT/2:30 ET---Menominee vs Watertown
3:00 CT/4:00 ET---Gladstone vs Green Bay Preble Shockers (LIVE on FM-93.5/AM-600)
4:00 CT/5:00 ET---Marquette vs Manitowoc
5:30 CT/6:30 ET---Escanaba vs Watertown (LIVE on FM-93.5/AM-600)
6:30 CT/7:30 ET---Menominee vs Marinette
STANDINGS
Escanaba 1-0 (6-2)
Marquette 1-0 (7-3)
Watertown 1-0 (9-5)
Gladstone 1-1 (20-21)
Manitowoc 1-1 (23-16)
Marinette 0-1 (2-6)
Green Bay 0-1 (3-7)
Menominee 0-1 (1-11)
