Posen brings winning streak into tournament

by Peter Jakey, Managing Editor

Winners of their last seven regular season ball games, Posen head coach Pat Kowalski believes his Viking ball club can compete with any of the teams in Saturday’s Division IV district tournament. The Vikings finished their final week of scheduled games with a pair of sweeps against Mio (9-0, 11-8) and Atlanta (11-0, 13-10). Up next is Saturday’s district tournament, where the Vikings are matched up against the team that edged them for the North Star League title: Hillman. Kowalski’s squad split with Hillman and Hale to end up in second place with a 12-2 record. Their overall record was 16-12.

On the other side of the bracket is Rogers City and Onaway, who will be seeing each other in the first baseball game of the day. Posen and Hillman will follow. “We’re playing good ball, the pitchers are throwing strikes,” said Kowalski. “I’m looking forward to Saturday, it is going to be a great district tournament. It is going to be anybody’s tournament.”

AT ATLANTA last Thursday, the Posen bats came to hit and Shane Hentkowski came to pitch. He threw a five-inning no-hitter in game one and a three inning one hitter in the nightcap. Hentkowski was at his best in the first contest. Of the 15 outs, 12 were by his right arm. He walked one batter and hit another. Kowalski said the sophomore was well-rested coming into the doubleheader, so he sent him out to start game two where he struck out eight more Huskies. The game lasted only three innings because of darkness. Hentkowski improved his season mark to 6-3. Aaron Romel was 2-for-2, while Scott Couture was 2-for-3 (2B). JEROME CIARKOWSKI picked up a couple of wins in Mio, finishing the regular season with a 4-1 record.

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ssed five innings of one-hit ball in game one against the Thunderbolts, walking two and striking out eight. Justin LaPointe was 3-for-4 and Romel was 2-for-4. Both had doubles in the contest. Luke Bruski and Couture also collected two hits each. Posen was down 4-3 heading into the top of the sixth inning when they scored eight runs to take a commanding lead. Hentkowski delivered on a squeeze play to tie the game, while Bruski squeezed another run home for the lead. Mio came back with four in the bottom of the sixth, but Ciarkowski struck out the side to close the door. Tyson Klecha was 2-for-2. Viking notes:

? Zach Idalski had his first varsity hit in game two against Atlanta. ? Hentkowski belted his first varsity homer against Au Gres.

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