Negaunee’s Alex Munson pitches against Calumet during a baseball tournament at in Negaunee Saturday May 11, 2019. (Journal photo by Corey Kelly)

By Journal Sports Staff

NEGAUNEE — The weather hasn’t exactly been accommodating to baseball teams around the Upper Peninsula this spring, but on Saturday afternoon, the clouds parted and the temperature warmed up just in time for the Negaunee Invitational tournament.

Not only did the sun shine brightly on the field, but so did the Miners as they took home the championship trophy after a 17-3 victory over L’Anse and a 12-5 win over Calumet in the title game.

“It was a fun tournament,” Negaunee head coach Jason Siik said. “We hit the ball well in the first game and took advantage of some errors and walks. Everybody stung the ball well and even the outs were hard line drives.

“We started slow in the second game, but then our bats woke up and we got going. It was another good offensive output. I think the kids are getting more confident at the plate. Jason (Waterman) also hit a long home run for us. He’s been working really hard at getting better.”

Logan Fish earned Offensive MVP honors for the Miners (12-4), while Eric Anderson was Defensive MVP.

In the first game against L’Anse, the Purple Hornets got on the scoreboard first with a run in the bottom of the first inning. However, Negaunee answered back with two runs in top of the second and then another five in the third to go up 7-1. L’Anse got two runs back in its half of the third, but it was all Miners from there.

Tanner Peterson got the win on the mound for Negaunee, giving up three runs on three hits with five strikeouts and three walks. Reese Waara took the loss for the Purple Hornets as he surrendered five runs on two hits with two strikeouts and nine walks in two and a third innings of work.

The Miners were led at the plate by Anderson, who went 4 for 4 with a double, a RBI and three runs scored. Fish had a double with three RBI and three runs scored, while Adam Ogea went 2 for 3 with two RBI and three runs scored. Alec Rajala went 2 for 2 with a homer, two RBI and a run scored for the Purple Hornets.

In the championship, Negaunee got a good battle from the Copper Kings as Calumet plated two runs in the top of the first inning. Negaunee took the lead by bringing home three runs in its half of the first, but the Copper Kings snatched it back with two more runs in the second.

The Miners bounced back in the bottom of the the third with two runs to take a 5-4 lead before Calumet tied it up with a run in the fourth. It looked as if the game would be a dogfight till the end, but the Miners erupted in the fifth, putting seven runs on the board to break the game open. Negaunee then slammed the door on the Copper Kings in the sixth to close out the victory.

Alex Munson got the win for the Miners, giving up five runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and one walk. He also went 2 for 3 at the plate with two RBI and a run scored.

Carter Richardson went 3 for 3 with a RBI and three runs scored for Negaunee, while Fish went 3 for 4 with a double, a RBI and three runs scored. Anderson went 2 for 4 with a double, a RBI and two runs scored for the Miners.

Houghton defeated L’Anse 11-1 in the consolation game.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Writer Ryan Stieg. His email address is rstieg@miningjournal.net.