Soo takes pair from Hurons in UP baseball clash

The Huron varsity baseball team made the long trip to Sault Ste. Marie Tuesday and came back empty-handed, losing two games to the Soo. Rogers City (10-11) lost 6-5 in the opener, as senior right-hander Joe Finch took the loss. He pitched all six innings, allowing seven hits and one walk, but errors contributed to four unearned runs. Six different Hurons had one hit each for coach Howard Madsen?s team. John Rhode started and took the loss in game two. The Hurons managed seven hits in a 7-3 loss. Rhode pitched the first four innings, giving up six hits, striking out five and walking four. The Soo scored five unearned runs in the fourth. Finch pitched one-third of an inning and Dustin Hein closed. Rhode had two hits in the game.

LAST WEEK, the Hurons took both ends of a doubleheader from St. Ignace. Playing at home, the Hurons scored two in the first, five in the third, two in the fourth and one more in the fifth for a 10-3 win in game one. Rhode started and got the win. He helped his cause by singling twice and walking once, scoring all three times. Rhode pitched four innings, striking out two, walking two and allowing two hits and one earned run. Hein worked the final two innings surrendering just one hit. Matt Peacock drove in three runs with a single and a double. Rogers City had a 12-hit attack in a 13-2 win in the second game of the day. Rhode?s two-run homer, doubles by Jordan Zempel, Bret Karsten and Scott Grulke, highlighted a seven-run fourth inning. Taylor Kowalewsky added a two-run single in the big inning.

Finch went all the way, allowing six hits and two walks in five innings. He struck out two and allowed one earned run. LAST FRIDAY and Saturday, the Hurons played in the Alpena Invitational, losing all three games. Friday?s game had the Hurons going against Alpena, the eventual tournament champ, and losing 14-4. Five different players had one hit for the Hurons. A three run fifth inning started with walks by second baseman D.J. Dehring and catcher Pat Quaine and a single by Karsten. Scott Kowalewsky and Grulke drove in runs with sacrifices, and the

n Zempel?s double scored Karsten. Kevin Fairbanks worked the first three innings, allowing five earned runs on seven hits and two walks. Charles Duverney pitched the final inning, allowing four runs on five hits and three walks. Saturday morning, the Hurons took on Gross Point North, losing 18-8. Grulke started, lasting three innings while allowing 11 runs, four of them earned, on 12 hits and two walks. He struck out two. Hein pitched the final three, giving up six earned runs on six hits and two walks. Grulke belted a two-run homer in the first and had a single in the fourth inning. Quaine knocked in three runs.

GAME THREE of the Hurons? weekend went to Traverse City West by a score of 6-4. The Hurons host Onaway today then travel to the Ogemaw Heights tournament Saturday. They are back in action Tuesday with games at Cheboygan.