Newberry falls to Hurons in both ends of doubleheader Tuesday

In weather more suited for football, the Hurons put up football-like numbers in a doubleheader sweep over Newberry Tuesday winning 6-1 in the first game and 21-5 in the second. Jordan Zempel and Scott Grulke each blasted homers in the doubleheader. Grulke hit his in the second game, one of his three hits in the game. Zempel drove in four runs in the first game with a two-run home run in the first inning of the first game and a two-run single in the second inning.

Ben Tulgestke earned the win on the mound in the first game, working all six innings and striking out eight. Kevin Fairbanks started game two and got the win, with relief help from Cody Elowsky. Tulgetske had three hits and scored four runs while junior first baseman Tyler Szumila had a single, two triples and scored four runs. Over the weekend the Hurons lost a pair at the Laker Invitational Tournament in Glen Lake.

Clare, the eventual tournament champion, defeated the Hurons 6-3 in the opener. Clare put up four runs in the second inning after the Hurons had scored a run in the first. Szumila went the first four and one-third, allowing eight hits and a walk while striking out three. Alex Lemmon and Elowsky each pitched in relief. In the second game, the Hurons lost a tough one to Glen Lake as a run-scoring double in the last inning gave the hosts the 8-7 win in chilly Maple City. Zempel started and pitched the first 5 1/3, allowing seven runs, but only two earned. He struck out six and walked five.

Lemmon worked the last 2/3 of an inning and struck out two. Junior third baseman Matt Mertz and Zempel each had three hits in the contest.

Last Thursday the Hurons took two games from Posen by scores of 5-3 and 12-6. In the first game, Zempel and Grulke each connected for a long ball in support of Tulgestke, who earned the win on the mound. The junior right-hander pitched six innings allowing four hits while striking out six and walking none. In the second game, the Hurons came out with five runs in the first inning, two in the second, two in the fifth and three more in the six in a 16-hit attack. Fairbanks pitched into the fifth inning allowing seven hits while walking only one. Elowsky worked the last one and one-third, surrendering four hits.

Grulke blasted a three-run homer and scored three runs out of the clean-up position in the batting order. Zempel, batting number three, had a homer and a single. Senior second baseman Josh Curtis added four hits and Tulgestke had three in the hit parade. The district tournament draw shows Rogers City playing Onaway in the 10 a.m. game Saturday, May 30 at Hillman with Hillman taking on Posen in the second game. The winners square off in the championship game later in the day for the right to play at the Rogers City regional tournament the following week.