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Stanton holds off fierce Channing rally for Durocher Memorial title

STANTON — For Superior National Bank-Stanton, the start of Sunday’s championship game began at the plaque of Leo Durocher near the first base dugout. It ended seven innings later at home plate, posing for photos with the Leo Durocher championship plaque.

“I told the boys to got out there and play hard and have some fun,” said SNB-Stanton’s player-manager Daron Durocher in regards to his speech at the plaque in honor of his father Leo. “Nothing too inspirational. I’m no Vince Lombardi.”

Stanton’s 9-7 victory over Channing on Sunday was their fourth victory over the three-day annual tournament.

“That was a close one,” Durocher said.

It wasn’t always that close as SNB-Stanton led by as many as five through the last half of the game mostly under the direction of their knuckleballer, Rob Brooks.

“My knuckler was working well through the first five innings,” Brooks said. “I felt good.”

Channing started it off in the top of the first inning with two runs thanks to a double which rolled to the fence by Lane Holsworth. He later scored on a base hit by catcher Ken Pekarek. Pekarek was brought home on a single through the right side of the diamond by hard hitting Bradley Gustafson.

After the early struggles, SNB-Stanton’s defense sharpened. Third baseman Eric Nettell had two tough balls hit to him early on and made spectacular throws to first. Brooks helped his own cause with a couple of strong fielding plays in front of the mound. In the fourth inning, he snagged a smash hit to his glove side to end the inning.

SNB-Stanton tied the game up in the third inning thanks in part to three walks surrendered by Channings pitcher Kyle Sexton in the inning. Help also came in the form of a line drive to center field by Nettell which brought in one run, and a sacrifice fly by Kevin Bostwick brought in another. Tyler LaDuron came home on an errant throw to first by Holsworth, who was playing shortstop.

The score remained even until the top of the fifth when SNB-Stanton put four more tallies on the board. They went through the line up with Josh Kosela, Justin Kirby, Bostwick and Durocher getting hits. They were aided by three walks and three errors by Channing.

As the game went into the bottom of the seventh, with Brooks still on the mound, it looked like SNB-Stanton was on their way to an easy one-two-three win.

However, Channing mounted a comeback.

It started with a walk to Sexton. Right fielder Ben Wheeler then reached base on a error by second baseman Trent Keteri. Holsworth walked. Mike Miller knocked in Sexton on a fielder’s choice to the left side of the infield.

Down to their last out with a runner on second, Pekarek stepped up and smacked a towering curveball to left field. The rally caps came on for Channing as they greeted Pekarek at home plate. They only needed two more to tie the game.

Those two were on base due to a single and walk surrendered by Brooks. That’s when Durocher called time and came to the mound to talk to Brooks. While the player-manager might not have had a specific decision in mind, his pitcher had one ready to go.

“I told him (Durocher), I was ready to come out,” Brooks said. “I was tired.”

Durocher brought in LaDuron from right field to end the game. With the tying run at second base, Channing third baseman Wade Holsworth lined out to Koskela at first, giving SNB-Stanton the win and the victory plaque.

LaDuron earned tournament Most Valuable Player honors as he struck out 12 in Stanton’s 6-3 victory of Dean Kangas State Farm the night before in the quarterfinals.

“Our bats were steady, but our play in the field was sloppy at times,” said Channing player-manager Barry Holsworth. “But it’s always a good tournament. It is always fun to see old faces and friends and a chance to play ball like it was meant to be played.”

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