Vikings sweep Au Gres and win home tourny
It?s going to be a busy three days for the Posen baseball players as they work their way to the post-season district tournament at Hillman a week from Saturday. The Vikings have scheduled action at Atlanta today in the last North Star League games of the season, then they?ll be at Johannesburg-Lewiston Friday and in Rogers City for tournament play Saturday.
Posen (17-8, 9-3) is riding a four-game winning streak after downing Au Gres on the County League field Monday and soundly defeating the competition at the Posen tournament last Saturday. Coach Pat Kowalski said athletic director Cliff Kelly was attempting to move the games with Atlanta to next week with a potential of six games in three days. There was no word before press time.
ORIGINALLY, THE week was left open because of pre-district games, which was the case in 2002, but that didn?t pan out this year. The Vikings received a bye and will take on Gaylord St. Mary at 12:30 p.m. May 31 in Hillman. On the other side of the bracket, Hillman and Joburg are the only teams that have to play in a pre-district game on May 27 at 4 p.m. The winner will take on Atlanta. The district final May 31 is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
Last year?s district final matched up Hillman and Gaylord St. Mary in Posen, a very close game won by the Tigers.
IN GAME one of the twinbill with Au Gres, the Viking batters gave the Wolverines fits with 10 bunts. ?They couldn?t handle it,? said Kowalski. Posen scored four in the fifth to put the game away, 8-3. Matt Ponik struck out seven on the way to his eighth win of the year against three losses. Jesse Romel pitched in relief and earned his second save of the season. Ponik was two-for-two with a double and two RBI, while J Richards knocked in two with a double as part of a two-for-three game. The defense, pitching, and the hitters showed no mercy in game two in a 13-5 win.
Russ Kamyszek improved his record to 5-2 and the defense committed only one error, while the Viking batsmen lit up Wolverine pitching for 15 hits. Kamyszek was perfect with three hits in three trips to the batter?s box. Josh Konieczny was two-for-four. Ponik was three-for-four with a double while Richards was three-for-four with a trip
THE VIKES blanked Onaway 4-0 in the tournament final Saturday. The big blow in the game came from Matt Szczerowski who ripped a double to knock in the game winner after Richards and Kamyszek walked ahead of him. Ponik set down seven and won his seventh game of the season. He gave up one walk and three hits. The early game of the Posen tournament saw the Vikes take a 12-5 victory over Harbor Light Christian. Kamyszek struck out seven, walked six, and gave up six hits. He was relieved after five innings by Romel who finished off the final two innings.
Ponik was four-for-four with four RBI, while Romel was two-for-three. David Karschnick was two-for-three with two RBI. It was all part of an 11-hit attack for the red and white. The games against Alcona May 14 didn?t go as well, as Posen was swept 13-5 and 7-4.