Diamonds in the rough: Negaunee Junior Legion baseball team captures state title in 1st season
Negaunee Junior Legion baseball team captures state title in 1st season
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KINGSFORD -- The Negaunee Junior Diamonds might be rookies, but they're also really good.
In their inaugural season as the younger of two Diamonds' American Legion baseball teams, this Post 114 squad captured the Legion Junior state championship with a two-game sweep at the Kingsford Junior Greens recently.
The Diamonds finished their season at 20-6 as the Negaunee Legion program was resurrected this season. This was the first time the program had a second, Junior-level team, though.
In the best-of-three finals, Negaunee won the opener 10-0 before exploding for a 25-6 triumph in the clinching, second game. The Diamonds and Kingsford were the only 17-years-and-under teams playing under the Legion banner that were entered in this tourney.
"Throughout the championship series, (we) showcased the complete package that defined (our) season -- timely hitting, quality pitching, solid defense and contributions throughout the lineup," Negaunee manager Dean Leece said in an email detailing the results.
In Game 1, Griffin Leece led the Diamonds' 10-hit attack with three hits and five RBIs, including a two-run double in the first inning and run-scoring singles in the third and sixth.
Griffin Leece's big early hit was the linchpin in Negaunee's three-run opening inning as Brayden Gleason also had an RBI single. Two more runs came home in third on run-producing singles by Griffin Leece and Landon Steele.
Drake Ayotte was just as dominant on the mound for the Diamonds as he threw five scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and striking out six. Waylon Harvala worked a scoreless inning in relief with a strikeout, while the Negaunee defense played error-free as it also turned a double play.
The Diamonds really jumped all over Kingsford in Game 2, pumping out 19 hits as Aiden Cardinal and Evan Armatti each had three hits and four RBIs, Cardinal's knocks including a two-run double in the first and two-run homer in the fourth.
Teammate Connor Munson also had three hits and Killean Ryan banged out a three-run double.
Griffin Leece, who added another two RBIs in this game, Harvala, Steele and Gleason each had multiple hits as players up and down the lineup produced.
Ryan earned the pitching victory, going five innings while allowing six runs, all unearned, even while his defense was credited with another solid effort.
Story contents based on an email received from Negaunee Diamonds manager Dean Leece. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee's email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.
The Negaunee Junior Diamonds finished their season at 20-6 after a two-game sweep of the Kingsford Junior Greens to capture the American Legion baseball Junior state championship recently. In the front row from left are Bryant Gleason, Evan Armatti, Brayden Gleason, Waylon Harvala and Griffin Leece. Top row from left, coach Pete Munson, coach Tony Ayotte, Drake Ayotte, Jacob Cadotte, Landon Steele, Connor Munson, Killean Ryan, Aiden Cardinal, coach Jeremy Steele and manager Dean Leece. Not pictured are Lux Harris, Cooper Dost, Damion Jurmu and coach Jason Jurmu. (Photo courtesy Dean Leece)