Huron baseball team opens season with tournament win

Baseball season got underway at long last for the Hurons with some pleasant results. Getting a chance to play outside for the first time this season, Rogers City (3-0) won the Morley-Stanwood tournament Saturday. The results pleased coach Howard Madsen, as his team stepped outdoors to defeat three opponents in the central Michigan area.

?It was a good start. I?m very happy with where we are right now,? he said.

The Hurons won all three games in Morley. A 14-HIT attack supported the pitching of Judd Vekaryasz in a 14-3 win over Fremont in the first game. Vekaryasz went all five innings, allowing six hits and two earned runs, while walking none and striking out nine.

Adam LaLonde and Cody Wenzel each had three hits while Aaron Florip, Tim Cercone, Justin Kelley, and Nathan Darga each had two hits. Another strong hitting effort keyed the Hurons? win in game two of the tournament.

Rogers City banged out 16 hits, led by Florip?s three safeties, in a 15-11 win over Freeland. The senior third baseman also socked a three-run homer in the third inning to give the Hurons a lead. Cody Hurst had three hits while Cercone, Brandon Gorlewski, and Austin Fairbanks each had two hits. Freshman Cody Wenzel earned the win, going all seven innings while allowing four earned runs. He walked one, struck out eight and allowed eight hits.

THE THIRD game, with the host team, turned out to be for the tournament championship, as each team came in undefeated. Rogers City struck first as Cercone, starting at catcher, drove in a run with a single. Darga scored the next Huron run.

He walked, stole second, and advanced to third on a passed ball. He scored on Hurst?s groundout to give the Hurons a 2-0 lead after two innings. In the Huron third, the lead increased to 4-0 after Gorlewski?s two-RBI double scored Cercone and Kelley, who both had singled. Morley came back with an unearned run in the third before the Hurons came back with another run. Florip?s RBI single scored Wenzel, who led off the inning with a double, and then moved to third on Vekaryasz?s single. The Hurons surrendered two runs in the bottom of the seventh as they won 5-3. LaLonde got the start, and win, with the save going

to Vekaryasz.

LaLonde went the first six, allowing one hit and four walks, while striking out six batters. Two of the runs scored on him were earned. Vekaryasz put out the fire in the seventh inning, striking out two batters while allowing one hit.

MADSEN SAID the team?s fielding is the weakest part of their game, but the hitting and pitching is right on. The fielding should improve, as the team gets more practice time outdoors, he said. The Hurons were set to play in Posen after the Advance deadline Wednesday, weather permitting.

The first home game, again weather permitting is set for next Wednesday.

The annual 100-inning game, a fundraising event, is planned this Saturday. Anyone wishing to donate to the program can contact any of the baseball or softball players or coaches.

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