Lakers 2, Vipers 1, 15 innings
It took the Superior Lakers amateur baseball team 15 innings but they earned their second Upper 13 League win on Sunday by defeating the Bayside Vipers 2-1 at the Ted Whereatt Field.
The Lakers got great pitching performances out of starter Josh Foreman and Nate Taran.
Foreman went the first six innings, allowing one unearned run on four hits while walking one and striking out three. Taran then turned in a heroic effort by going the next eight innings, not allowing a run on three hits while walking three, hitting another and striking out seven.
Taran's efforts allowed the Lakers to finally plate a run in the top of the 15th inning.
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Taran led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch then went all the way to third on a wild pick-off attempt by relief pitcher Marcus Besonen. Taran scored one pitch later on Justin Baker's sac fly.
The Lakers' offense was solid until they had runners on base, leaving 21 men stranded.
For the Lakers, Baker, Foreman, Kyle Peterson and Brandon Hansen each had two hits apiece. Rounding out the hitting for the Lakers were Kory Maier, Chris Musser, Jason Polikowsky, Andy Ross and Taran, who each chipped in with one hit each.
Lakers 11, Padres 3
The Superior Lakers continued their winning ways on Memorial Day by defeating the Proctor Padres 11-3 in an Upper 13 League match up.
The Lakers sent Travis Taran to the mound for the first time since 2006 when they made the WBA State Tournament. Taran didn't disappoint as he got the win, going six innings while allowing three runs on eight hits, walking three and striking out four.
Chris Musser made his Laker debut on the mound, going the next two innings and allowing no runs on one hit, walking four and striking out three. Lakers', Nathan Windschill, was handed the ball in the ninth inning and struck out the side.
The Lakers' offense was nowhere to be found until the bats woke up in the fourth inning with two outs as they plated eight runs.
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Leading the Lakers were Kory Maier and Travis Taran, who each had two hits with Taran having two doubles. The Lakers also got hits from Kyle Peterson, Musser, Cameron Stelljes, Matt Engelmeier, Andy Ross and Nate Taran.
The Lakers (4-2 overall, 3-0 U-13 League) are back in action at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Grand Rapids. The Lakers will be back home for a game against the Port Wing Boilers at 1:30 p.m. Sunday.
LAKERS ANCHOR: This was the first game that all three Taran's have been playing for the Lakers at the same time. ... Lakers co-owner, Adam Peterson, coached his high school team in Rio Rancho, N.M. to the 5A State Championship, defeating La Cueva 6-5. Peterson has been the assistant coach for two state championship teams in three seasons.
Oulu 7, Merchants 3
In Upper 13 Baseball League action Sunday in Oulu, the Oulu Bluejays broke open a 3-3 ballgame with three runs in the seventh inning and one in the eighth to defeat the Ashland Merchants and up their record to 2-0 in league play.
Ashland took a 2-0 lead into the third on the strength of Scott LePlavy's RBI single and double. Oulu came back to tie the game in the fourth after two walks, a Jeff Lahti double and a Steve Lahti sacrifice fly.
In the seventh, an error and a walk, followed by a Tom Simonson RBI single and sacrifice flies by Mike Lewis and Eric King scored three to make it 6-3. Oulu added an insurance run in the eighth for the final 7-3 score.
LePlavy led Ashland going 4-for-4, while Luke Olin, Lewis and Jeff Lahti all doubled for the Bluejays. George Hansen had two RBIs for Oulu.
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David Barningham went the distance for Oulu, scattering eight hits, while striking out three and walking four.
Steve Huybrecht took the loss for the Merchants, giving up six hits but also walking nine Bluejay batters.
Oulu (2-0) travels to Bayside Sunday to play the Vipers. Ashland is 1-2 in the league.
