POWER OUTAGE
Escanaba senior Jared Dagenais is picked off of first base during Saturday's playoff game. Cheboygan's Jordan Yost applies the tag. (Lisa Dagenais photo)
Sophomore Pitcher Blanks Eskymos; Season Over
ESCANABA---All season long, they've been living on the edge.
The Escanaba Eskymo baseball team has found numerous ways to win games, even when they were committing errors and making mental mistakes. There was walk-off magic on four different occassions, several dominating pitching performances, and a couple of the games with final scores that resembled football scores.
But on Saturday in the district tournament opener, none of that mattered. It came down to one thing: the Eskymos could not hit a curveball. Cheboygan sophomore pitcher Damon Proctor scattered five hits in a complete-game effort, leading his Chiefs to a 3-0 win that eliminated the Eskymos in the districts for the second straight year.
"We got beat by a good pitcher today," Eskymo Manager Don Lauscher said. "We left an awful lot of guys on base, and we just didn't get that timely hit. I thought we played well, but the bottom line is they got a couple of timely hits and we didn't."
The Eskymos beat Proctor in last year's district opener, 6-1, but this time, they failed to take advantages of the early chances that they had against him.
<<<Alex DeHaan stretches to catch a foul pop-up. (Lisa Dagenais photo)
In the first inning, Austin Young walked, stole second, and went to third on an error. But Trent Schwalbach and Alex DeHaan both struck out, stranding Young at third base. In the second inning, David Falish walked and stole second. But Justyn Doucette flew out and Ian Serrer struck out to end that threat.
In the third inning, Jared Dagenais beat out a bunt single, but was picked off of first base a moment later (the Eskymos were adament that Dagenais was safe). Later, Young beat out an infield hit, but Nick Vandermissen flew out and Schwalbach was called out on strikes.
Cheboygan had stranded five batters in the first two innings, but took the lead in the third on a two-run double by Brandon Blaskowski. The Eskymos had their best scoring chance in the fourth inning as DeHaan led off with a double and Matt Jensen singled to right. But with runners on second and third and nobody out, Falish grounded out and Doucette and Serrer both struck out. It was still a 2-0 game.
In the bottom of the inning, Dylan Wilkinson singled home the Chiefs' final run. He was three-for-three in the game.
One last chance for the Eskymos in the fifth inning as Vandermissen singled and Schwalbach walked. DeHaan popped up to end the inning. Proctor ended up striking out 11 Eskymo batters while pitching a five-hit shutout.
Jared Dagenais puts down a bunt during Saturday's game. >>>
"His curveball is what was fooling everybody," Lauscher said. "He had an above-average fastball, but that slow curve was getting everybody out on their front leg. Ninety percent of the time, good pitching beats good hitting, and that was exactly what happened."
Schwalbach pitched the entire way for the Eskymos, giving up three runs (two earned) on seven hits. He clearly didn't have his best stuff, but he managed to keep his team close. But, there would be no magical comeback this time. Escanaba finished the season 22-4.
"It was a different type of season," Lauscher said. "It was just like we never got on a roll this year. Mostly because of all of the rainouts and snowouts (15 of them in total). I think it really hurt us last week not being able to play Shepherd, Bloomingdale and the Sault. And I feel bad for the seniors. But, no excuses. We had a good year."
Sault Ste. Marie (20-13) later won the district championship, beating Cheboygan (20-9), 6-5. The Blue Devils advance to the regionals.
WATCH ESCANABA vs CHEBOYGAN BASEBALL HIGHLIGHTS
CLICK HERE to see Austin Young track down a deep fly ball.
CLICK HERE to watch Alex DeHaan catch a pop fly to end a threat.
CLICK HERE to see Brandon Blaskowski's two-run double.
Cheboygan Chiefs Get Into A Pickle
Top photo: Catcher Ian Serrer runs Anthony Juillet (4) back toward third base after Jeff Lyle made a diving stab of Juillet's hit to third. Below photo: Juillet dives into third base but was tagged out first. (Lisa Dagenais photos)
Bark River Baseball Players Getting Better
Two Bark River-Harris High School students who play for the Escanaba Cubs American Legion Baseball team are doing better after being involved in a horrible traffic crash on May 4th. Ben Kleiman (left) and Dane Messersmith are recovering from numerous injuries sustained in that crash on Old State Road. Kleiman and Messersmith are friends with several Eskymo players, and they stopped by to watch Saturday's Eskymo playoff game against Cheboygan.
The Escanaba High School is looking for a new varsity baseball coach. Don Lauscher resigned on Wednesday after five years in charge. Lauscher leaves with a record of 130 wins and 27 losses, the winningest coach in the program's modern history. 
Due to administrative differences that compromise my coaching philosophies, I am stepping down as manager from the Escanaba High School Baseball Program. I think it's time that the program gets a fresh start and moves in a new direction. 
