FINALLY ON TOP: Marquette Blues Win U.P. Title
Click the thumbnails above to see photos and videos, and hear comments from Dakota Maki, Hogan Nemetz, and Managers Derek Swajanen and John Lauzer.
GLADSTONE---The Marquette Blues American Legion baseball team cruised to two more victories on Sunday, winning the Upper Peninsula Zone Five championship at Gladstone's Don Olsen Field. The Blues victory ended a string of "near misses" over the past several years.
The Blues pulled away from the Eastern U.P. Wood Ducks, 13-2, in the semifinals, then grabbed an early lead and topped the Menominee Red Wave, 6-1, in the championship game.
Marquette was already guaranteed a spot in the state tournament because the Blues are hosting the event. But the Blues celebrated the fact that they earned their way into the field.
"It feels good," Marquette winning pitcher Dakota Maki said. "It's good to know that we didn't back into the state tournament. We earned our way there. We're hosting this year and we have an automatic bid, but we earned it!"
"I can't wait," Marquette center fielder Hogan Nemetz said. "We put so much (renovation) work into that field. It's going to feel really good to see all of those teams playing on it. Hopefully, we'll come out on top. It feels good. We've been so close for so many years.But we finally got the job done."
In the semifinal, Marquette led just 4-2 over the Wood Ducks entering the fifth inning befofre the Blues put the game away with four runs in the fifth inning and five more in the sixth.
The Blues pounded out 13 base hits against three Soo pitchers, especially once EUP starter Vinicio Febles left after throwing 93 pitches. Febles allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits, but Jacques Leblanc was battered for seven runs on four hits and three walks. Matt Lumsden finished up and gave up two runs on three hits.
Justin Wenk, Parker Maki, and Dakota Maki shared pitching duties for Marquette, and they combined to scatter seven hits and use just 77 pitches.
Pete VandenAvond had two hits and drove in three runs. Jake Peterson and Brock Taylor also drove in two runs apiece.
"It was a lot closer game than that score shows," Marquette Manager Derek Swajanen said. "We had a lot of trouble with them this year (1-3 record) and I didn't like the matchup. But the guys got the job done."
Menominee got by Copper Country, 6-2, in the other semifinal.
The Red Wave, last year's U.P. champions, started slowly this year before improving late in the season. They made the semifinals when Dickinson County was forced to forfeit their two wins over Menominee because they used a 20-year-old player.
With their win over the Flames on Sunday, the Red Wave qualified for the state tournament.
"If you told me at the beginning of the season that this team would be in the final two in the U.P., I probably would have laughed at everybody," Menominee Manager John Lauzer said. "These kids just never gave up. They just kept working at it, and here we are."
In the championship game, Marquette scored six runs in the first two innings, taking advantage of six walks by Red Wave pitcher Preston Brunette. Nemetz had the big hit: a three-run, bases-loaded double in the second inning that made it a 6-0 Marquette lead.
"It feels great," Nemetz said. "We were just focused on keeping up with what we've been doing the past two days. Quality at-bats and playing strong defense. I just tried to stay down, and to the ball, because it was a little lower of a pitch. I just caught it with the bat and it went."
Then it was up to Dakota Maki on the mound, and he was in complete control, allowing only one unearned run in the sixth inning. He struck out eight batters.
"My arm felt good," Maki said. "I pitched this morning, too (28 pitches) and so I was warmed up, and it was hot out. J.P. (Jake Peterson) has been catching for a long time, and I know that, so I trust him to call the game. I don't shake him off, hardly ever. Just throw strikes and let the defense do the job."
"He's (Maki) been a stud all year for us," Swajanen said. "I have no compliants whatsoever. He's very efficient. He went through the line-ups pretty easily. When Hogan got that bases-clearing hit, I felt pretty comfortable."
Menominee, despite the loss, will also play in the state tournament next weekend.
"It's an honor," Lauzer said. "I toid the guys, we're going to state, and it's the fourth time in seven years since I've been coaching. I just said: 'I'm so proud of you guys. Let's just keep it going and have fun."
The Copper Country Flames will be the third U.P. team in the six-team state tournament after a remarkable tournament run. They rallied from a 6-0 deficit in the third place game on Sunday to beat Sault Ste. Marie, 13-10. This follows a comeback from a 10-0 deficit against Escanaba on Saturday that ended in a 15-14 walk-0ff win, and a comeback from a 2-0 deficit in the final two innings to beat Bark River on a ninth inning walk-off, 3-2.
"It's good," Swajanen said of the Flames' run. "It's been a while since they've been in it. They keep fighting and they keep winning. That's a good opportunistic team. And John's done a good job with the Menominee team. He's turned them around. Hopefully all of the UP. teams have some success next week. It would be nice if all three U.P. teams could get some wins."
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