By Journal Sports Staff

HANCOCK — The Marquette Blues were the last of the Marquette County teams to be eliminated from the American Legion baseball Michigan Zone 5 Class A tournament on Saturday.

The Blues lost an eight-inning, 5-4 decision to the Escanaba Cubs in the consolation bracket in a game originally scheduled as the fifth and final game on Friday night at the Hancock Driving Park. With the schedule running behind, the game wasn’t concluded until Saturday.

On Thursday, all three county teams in the tourney lost, sending them into the consolation bracket where one more loss would end their tournament runs.

Marquette knocked out the Ishpeming Blue Storm 9-7 and the Sault Ste. Marie-Eastern Upper Peninsula Travelers doubled up the Negaunee Diamonds 16-8 in Friday’s first two games.

Three of the Zone 5 tourney teams will advance to the state Class A tournament in Gladwin next week. Those representatives will come from among the event’s final five surviving teams, the Cubs, Gladstone Indians, Copper Country Flames, Menominee Red Wave and EUP Travelers.

On Saturday against Escanaba, Marquette jumped out with three runs in the top of the first inning, but Esky answered with at least one run in each of their first three times at bat to take a 4-3 lead.

The Blues tied the score 4-4 in the top of the fifth, the way it remained until the Cubs pushed across the game-winner with one out in the bottom of the eighth.

Details on run-scoring plays weren’t available.

However, a box score from the game showed seven Marquette players each with a hit, including Hunter Doucette with a double, two RBIs and two stolen bases.

Teammate Austin Wachnicki singled, scored twice and stole a base, while John Thomson also singled, scored a run and drew a walk.

The Blues’ other hits came off the bats of Alec Beauchamp, Holden Shaneberger, Jay Oberg and Jakob Peterson.

Garrett Finkbeiner was the hard-luck loser as he went the full 7 1/3 innings, giving up five runs, three of them earned, on nine hits and four walks as he struck out three.

Sam Hall picked up the pitching win for the Cubs, throwing the final 1 1/3 innings and allowing no runs on one hit and one walk while fanning two. Starter Johnny Schlenvogt went the first 6 2/3 innings, giving up four runs on six hits and four walks as he struck out seven.

Logan Lamb led Esky hitters, going 2 for 4 with a double, RBI and run scored. Teammate Noah Lancour had a single in his only official at-bat as he walked three times, scored a run and knocked one in.

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