YOUTH BASEBALL RDP: Blue Jays defeat Mariners 1-0 in Cal Ripken title game

The Blue Jays defeated the Mariners 1-0 in the Cal Ripken championship game Tuesday evening at Steve Arnovich Field.

Michael LaJoie tossed a three-hitter with 13 strikeouts to pick up the win for the Blue Jays.

LaJoie and Spencer Udeen had the Blue Jays’ hits.

Gunner Johnson pitched a two-hitter with eight strikeouts for the Mariners, who got singles from Johnson, Caden Welch and Keelan Golat.

The Blue Jays’ winning run came while another runner was caught in a rundown.

The Blue Jays are coached by Scott Udeen, Kevin LaJoie and Duane Fonger.

Remaining members of the team are: Christopher McKenzie, Alex Dennis, Conner Fonger, Ben Rhodes, Anthony Anderson, Caden Willie, Matt Buerger, Max Plunkett, Devon Sullivan-Pettit, Dan Geitner, Willem McClennan and bat boy Carter Fonger.

Blue Jays 5, Brewers 4

The Blue Jays advanced to the championship game with a 12-inning victory over the Brewers.

Rhodes was the winning pitcher for the Blue Jays, whose winning run came when Udeen singled home Plunkett with two outs in the bottom of the 12th inning.

For the Blue Jays, Plunkett doubled and singled; Rhodes and Sullivan-Pettit doubled; Udeen, Geitner and Willie singled.

For the Brewers, Justin Earnst and Ryan Hughes each singled twice; Drew DeBruyne doubled; and Branden McClure, Isaac Rios, Austin McClure and Sam Heskin singled.

12U All-Stars finish fourth

The Superior 12U All-Stars took fourth place in Superior “Last Chance” Tournament played last weekend. Superior will complete its season this weekend at the Art Von Tournament in Duluth.

Superior opened with an 8-4 loss to Duluth Central. Brandon Wing suffered the loss, while Aaron Hansen hit a pair of RBI singles; Dominic D’Auria and Bryce Connolly doubled; and Max Plunkett knocked in a run.

Superior fell to 0-2 with a 6-2 loss in seven inning to Lake Park of Duluth.

Superior fell behind again as it gave up two unearned runs in the top of the second inning on two errors.

The score remained the same until the bottom of the sixth when Devon Pettit was hit by a pitch, Connolly walked and Brandon Wing singled scoring Pettit. After Rhodes singled, Isaac Rios knocked in Connolly with a single to tie the score at 2-2 with one out. Superior was unable to close it out as the next two batters struck out ending the rally.

Lake Park scored four run in the top of the seventh on three hits and two errors.

Superior broke into the win column with a 9-1 win over Proctor.

Superior jumped on Proctor with three runs in the first inning on singles by Rios and Connolly, a double by Plunkett and an RBI single by Hansen.

Superior added two more in the top of the third as Rhodes reached on error and scored on a sacrifice by Connolly. Gunner Johnson singled and scored on Plunkett’s RBI double.

Johnson held Proctor scoreless through four innings allowing one single and two walks while striking out six batters.

Superior added four more runs in the fifth inning on a double by Connolly, an RBI triple by Johnson, singles by Plunkett and Spencer Udeen and a double by Dominic D’Auria.

D’Auria and Brandon Wing combined in the win for Superior.

In a must-win situation, Superior defeated Duluth Eastern 12-2.

Michael LaJoie was the winning pitcher, despite allowing Duluth to score a run in the first inning.

Superior responded with three runs in the bottom of the first as LaJoie walked, Bryce Connolly singled, Johnson walked, Plunkett hit a two-run double and Johnson stole home.

Superior added two more in the bottom of the second as Spencer Udeen reached on an error and Dominic D’Auria walked. Udeen scored on a wild pitch and Brandon Wing had a sacrifice to score D’Auria.

In the bottom of the fourth Johnson walked and scored on a triple by Plunkett. Hansen also singled, but was erased when Udeen hit into a fielder’s choice. Udeen closed out the scoring as he came home on a passed ball putting Superior up 8-1.

LaJoie was taken out after four innings and Rhodes came into mop up.

After Duluth scored for an 8-2 score, Wing led off the bottom of the fifth reaching on an error. He advanced to second on a single by Rhodes and went to third as Isaac Rios walked. After Connolly and Johnson walked, Plunkett singled in LaJoie, making the final score 12-2 and putting Superior into the third place game on Sunday.

Proctor got some revenge on Superior with a 13-12 win in seven innings in the third-place game.

Johnson received the starting nod for Superior and in the top of the first allowed a walk, but struck out the other three batters he faced.

In the bottom of the first inning Rhodes singled to lead off the inning. After Rios singled, Rhodes was out at third as LaJoie hit into a fielder’s choice. Connolly and Johnson reached on errors and later scored as the ball was thrown around staking Superior to a 4-0 lead.

Proctor closed the gap to 4-2 thanks to three Superior errors but the local All Stars increased its lead to 8-2 on two walks, a sacrifice by Wing and consecutive singles by Rhodes, Rios and LaJoie.

Proctor came back to tie the score 8-8 with five singles and two errors in the top of the third. Superior regained the lead in the bottom of the third as Hansen and Udeen singled with two outs and D’Auria pushed both runs across with a double putting Superior up 10-8.

In the fifth inning, Proctor pushed four runs across making the score 12-10. Superior answered in the home half of the as Connolly and Plunkett singled and scored as Hanson’s bunt down the third baseline was tossed into right field.

After holding Proctor scoreless, Superior found themselves with the bases loaded and one out. But Proctor was able to work out of the jam throwing out two players at the plate.

Proctor then scored the winning run with two outs in top of the seventh.

Diamonds host tourney

The Superior Diamonds, an all-star traveling team, co-hosted the 2012 Last Chance Tournament last weekend.

The Diamonds opened play on Friday morning with a 2-0 loss to Ashland. The Oredockers pieced together two singles and a fielder’s choice to plate a run in the third stanza, then used an opposite-field triple and a ground out in the fourth frame to add an insurance run.

Superior managed to get 11 runners on base via hits, walks and errors, but none were able to cross the plate.

David Fender had a single, walk and a stolen base to lead the Diamonds’ offense. Kylar Frias added a single and a stolen base, while Drew DeBruyne chipped in with a one-bagger. Derek Fender, Kylar Frias and Judd Erickson pitched two innings each for Superior.

Next up was an 11-1 loss to Hermantown. Superior stole a run in the top of the third inning on a throwing error to take a lead of 1-0, but the Hawks scored five runs in the bottom of the frame and exploded for six more in the fifth to win by the 10-run rule.

DeBruyne’s double was the Diamonds’ only hit. David Fender and Erickson were the pitchers for Superior.

The Diamonds started Saturday with a game versus Duluth Central. Superior scored in every inning except the first en-route to a 15-4 victory. Derek Fender earned the win and Reed Rehnstrand picked up the save.

Derek Fender blasted a single, triple and homerun, walked once, scored four runs and batted in five others. Erickson chipped in with a single and a triple, scored two runs and had four RBS. DeBruyne added a single and a triple and had two RBIs, Kylar Frias contributed two singles and three RBIs, and Reed Rehnstrand finished with two singles, a walk and two runs scored. David Fender added two singles and drove in one. Austin Buck walked three times and scored once, Nash Tollers had a single and a run scored and Cody Jones had two walks and a run scored. Second baseman Luke Denninger made two key defensive plays to stop Central rallies.

Superior then lost to Iron River 11-9. Superior fell behind 10-3 after three stanzas, then forged a comeback in the final three frames, but the rally fell short.

Frias led the Diamonds’ 15-hit attack with two singles and a double while scoring three runs. DeBruyne continued his hot hitting with a single and a double, a stolen base and an RBI, as did Derek Fender with two singles and one RBI. David Fender slammed a double and drove in two runs; Erickson had a single, a stolen base and an RBI. Rehnstrand had two singles and an RBI. Austin Buck finished with a single, a stolen base, and a run scored while Denninger chipped in with a single and a stolen base. Nash Tollers added a single, a stolen base and an RBI, while Cody Jones had a single and an RBI.

David Fender, Frias, Denninger, Erickson and DeBruyne pitched for Superior, giving up 12 hits while walking seven and striking out five.

Superior’s final game was a 13-11 loss to Duluth Eastern. Superior yielded 13 runs in the first three innings while scoring only three, then exploded for five runs in the fourth and three in the fifth frame only to end up on the short end as the game was halted because of the time limit.

Denninger led Superior’s hit parade with three singles and one RBI. Tollers reached base three times via a single, double and a fielder’s choice, scored once, and drove in three. DeBruyne stroked a single and a double and batted in one. Frias contributed a single and three walks, crossed the plate twice and drove in two. Nash added a single and an RBI. Rehnstrand chipped in with a single and two RBI’s. Erickson produced a single and an RBI. Buck had a single and a run scored, Derek Fender was hit by a pitch and scored a run. David Fender drew a walk.

Derek Fender, Rehnstrand, David Fender, Denninger, Frias, and Erickson all pitched for the Diamonds.

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