Quite a strong finish: After opening loss, Diamonds walk-off Legion tourney title in extra innings
After opening loss, Diamonds walk-off Legion tourney title in extra innings
Negaunee Post 114 Senior American Legion pitcher Isak Ruspakka throws during the championship game of the Eastern Upper Peninsula Wood Ducks Showcase held in Sault Ste. Marie on July 12. (Photo courtesy Derek Cardinal)
The Negaunee Diamonds Post 114 Senior American Legion baseball team won the Eastern Upper Peninsula Wood Ducks Showcase in Sault Ste. Marie that was held from July 10-12. In the front row from left are Killean Ryan, Devin Jurmu, Logan LaJoie, Morgan Robar and Evan DellAngelo. Top row from left, coaches Jason Siik and Kevin Ryan; players Tristan Slater, Isak Ruspakka, Aiden Steele, Owen Cardinal and Jack Siik; coach Mike DellAngelo and manager Jeremy Steele. (Photo courtesy Jeremy Steele)
Negaunee Post 114 Senior American Legion pitcher Isak Ruspakka throws during the championship game of the Eastern Upper Peninsula Wood Ducks Showcase held in Sault Ste. Marie on July 12. (Photo courtesy Derek Cardinal)
Negaunee Post 114 Senior American Legion pitcher Isak Ruspakka throws during the championship game of the Eastern Upper Peninsula Wood Ducks Showcase held in Sault Ste. Marie on July 12. (Photo courtesy Derek Cardinal)
The Negaunee Diamonds Post 114 Senior American Legion baseball team won the Eastern Upper Peninsula Wood Ducks Showcase in Sault Ste. Marie that was held from July 10-12. In the front row from left are Killean Ryan, Devin Jurmu, Logan LaJoie, Morgan Robar and Evan DellAngelo. Top row from left, coaches Jason Siik and Kevin Ryan; players Tristan Slater, Isak Ruspakka, Aiden Steele, Owen Cardinal and Jack Siik; coach Mike DellAngelo and manager Jeremy Steele. (Photo courtesy Jeremy Steele)
Negaunee Post 114 Senior American Legion pitcher Isak Ruspakka throws during the championship game of the Eastern Upper Peninsula Wood Ducks Showcase held in Sault Ste. Marie on July 12. (Photo courtesy Derek Cardinal)
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SAULT STE. MARIE -- After a slow start, the Negaunee Diamonds baseball team came on strong to win an American Legion baseball tournament held in Sault Ste. Marie from July 10-12.
The Post 114 Senior Legion team needed nine innings to win the title game on July 12 over the Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Black Sox, one day after defeating the same team to reach the finals in the Eastern Upper Peninsula Wood Ducks Showcase.
The Diamonds lost 9-5 to Gaylord in their opener on Friday, then downed the host Eastern U.P. Wood Ducks 5-0 and the Black Sox 13-3 on Saturday to set up the final, again facing the Canadian team.
Negaunee won that one 3-2, but needed nine innings as Owen Cardinal knocked in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth.
Here are more details from each game:
Gaylord 9, Diamonds 5
On Friday, Negaunee committed four errors and made several base-running mistakes, according to an account from manager Jeremy Steele.
Cardinal and Jack Siik each collected two hits, including a triple by Cardinal and double by Siik, while Logan LaJoie and Tristan Slater each also had a hit.
Diamonds 5, Eastern U.P. 0
On Saturday morning, Cardinal pitched 6 1/3 innings of shutout ball, allowing just three hits while striking out nine. Morgan Robar came on for a two-out save, getting a strikeout while not allowing a runner.
Robar also had two hits, as did Evan DellAngelo, who had a double and two RBIs. Teammate Devin Jurmu added a double, with singles coming from Siik, Killean Ryan and Isak Ruspakka.
Diamonds 13, Soo Canada 3
On Saturday afternoon, Negaunee pounded out 14 hits, including two apiece from Slater, Robar, Jurmu, Siik, DellAngelo and Aiden Steele. Steele, who finished with five RBIs, tripled, as did Jurmu and Robar.
Ryan tossed five innings, allowing four hits while fanning four, while Siik came on for the save as he went one inning without giving up a hit.
Diamonds 3, Soo Canada 2
On Sunday afternoon, the 2-1 Post 114 team came in as the No. 1 seed to face the No. 2 Black Sox in the finals.
Ruspakka started and went an efficient eight innings, allowing just one earned run while K'ing seven.
Slater came on to pitch the ninth, the second extra inning, when each team got a designated runner on second base to start off. Slater threw out that runner attempting to take third on a bunt for the first out, then struck out the next two to end the threat.
The opportunistic Diamonds picked up a second baserunner when Siik was intentionally walked, then Aiden Steele moved up the designated runner to third base on a groundout.
That's when Cardinal came up and hit a single through the middle for the walk-off win, Cardinal's second hit as Steele also had a pair of hits.
Robar, Ryan and LaJoie each had hits as Cardinal, Steele and DellAngelo also had one RBI apiece.
Story contents based on email received from Negaunee Diamonds Senior American Legion baseball manager Jeremy Steele. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee's email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.