ESCANABA — The Escanaba Eskymos played an opportunist’s role in the sixth inning here Wednesday night in a 6-2 baseball triumph over the Marquette Redmen.

Esky led 3-2 after five, then took advantage of two errors and a wild pitch while scoring three times in the sixth.

Ben Johnson led off Esky’s sixth with a single to leftfield, then made it 4-2 on a bunt by Tyler Lawson and a miscue by the Redmen.

Moments later, a safety squeeze bunt by Hunter Lancour was mishandled by the Redmen, enabling Lawson to score Esky’s fifth run.

“Hunter executed that very nicely,” Esky coach Scott Hanson said. “That scored a run, and they kind of threw the ball around at that moment. That was a crucial play in that situation. We made some things happen. We needed this win.”

Lancour ended the scoring on a wild pitch, enabling the Eskymos snap a three-game losing streak.

After stranding two baserunners in each of the first two frames, Lawson scored Esky’s first run on an error.

Casey Bray gave the Eskymos a two-run cushion on a single to right, then made it 3-0 on a fielder’s choice.

Marquette responded in the fourth, scoring its first run on Alex Applekamp’s single to center.

The Redmen then pulled within a run on Peter VanderAvond’s double to left-center.

Esky threatened again in the fifth but stranded a pair of baserunners.

“We had a very young team at the beginning of the season and got beat 13-0 down here,” Marquette coach Derek Swajanen said about a mid-April game. “At least three of our kids hadn’t played in four years. We had the bases loaded a couple times and didn’t score.

“We’ve made a huge improvement within the past four weeks. We’re learning. I like our chances of improving over the next three weeks. We’re happy with where we’re at.”

Esky collected 12 hits, including three by Lawson and two apiece by Collin Arnt, Casey Bray and Lancour.

Sophomore Trent Lawson, who pitched the entire game for the win, struck out four, walked none, hit a batter and allowed six hits.

“For a sophomore to give us an effort like that is huge,” Hanson said. “That definitely saved us some arms for this weekend. A lot of guys put the ball in play.”

Brady Wright worked the first five innings and took the loss.

“Brady did a nice job mixing his pitches,” Swajanen said. “Our defense had a couple losses but did a nice job executing plays overall.”

Marquette travels to Sault Ste. Marie for a twinbill on Friday.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.