EJ runner-up in state tourney

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EJ runner-up in state tourney

Big League Baseball

EJ runner-up in state tourney

By Chris Fiel

KALAMAZOO -- The District 8 Big League Baseball team out of East Jordan started its tournament run on Friday, July 9, with a 2-4 loss as Nico Cornstalk pitched five innings. East Jordan took a 1-0 lead early and held the District 15 squad scoreless until giving up four in the fifth. District 8 pitcher Jensen Aubry of Grayling came on to throw a seven-pitch scoreless sixth. District 8 then tacked on another run in the top of the seventh for the final score.
Saturday, July 10, action saw Jensen Aubry start game 2 and earn the win in only one inning of work. In the bottom of the first, EJ started the rally early with two runners on base. A player from District 5 used inappropriate language and was tossed, leaving the opposing team with only eight players, causing a forfeit.
“Too bad for us. My guys knew they couldn’t lose again, and were very well prepared for this game. “said coach Kevin LaVanway Sr. as they District 8 Team pulled their record even to 1-1.
The following first game of a doubleheader, game 3, was a 10-inning pitchers’ nightmare as EJ tied the score 5-5 in the top of the seventh. EJ’s fourth pitcher of the game, Jensen Aubry, held District 15 to only one run in the final four innings to allow District 8 to take a 7-6 lead.
Run support for District 8 was led by walloping Matt Werner with a triple and three singles. Cornstalk cracked a triple among his three hits. Aubry doubled, Kolbi Shumaker of Boyne City smacked two doubles,, and Tony Pentecost chipped in with two singles as EJ improved to 2-1.
In the second game of the doubleheader, the explosive bats came alive for District 8. Aubry held District 16 to three runs through 3 1-3 innings. This allowed Jared Forbes to come in for relief, giving up only two, followed by Tony Pentecost who struck out all three he faced in the sixth and final inning.
Gage Burt bopped a single while Matt Werner and Cornstalk each had hits as well. East Jordan grad Kevin LaVanway Jr. tripled, Forbes doubled and Josh Williams singled. The game ended in six innings with a District 8 mercy-rule win over District 16 15-5.
In the state championship game against District 2, a very exhausted District 8 squad just couldn’t get the bats going against a tough-hitting team from host Kalamazoo, falling 16-7.
Jared Forbes started, followed by Matt Werner and 15-year-old southpaw Matt Bolser in relief. Leading hitters for EJ in the title game were Gage Burt with a booming triple and Jensen Aubry and Josh Williams with two hits. Shumaker and LaVanway each singled and Forbes doubled.
“In 13 years of coaching all levels of East Jordan Little League baseball and softball, I have never seen a team bond like this one,” coach LaVanway said. “I didn’t know what to expect. We recruited players from rival towns, threw them into the mix, and they played ball like a well-oiled machine. I am very proud of each member of this team, and hope to coach them again next year.”