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QUINNESEC -- A two-RBI single from Marquette pitcher Justin Wenk in the top half of the seventh inning was the difference in the game, as the Redmen defeated host Kingsford 4-2 Tuesday afternoon in a MHSAA Division 2 District 33 baseball game at Forgette Field in Quinnesec.
Wenk toed the mound for six innings, fanning seven, walking a pair of Flivvers. The Marquette hurler allowed four hits and two earned runs to give the Redmen their first MHSAA District win in school history.
"That was one of our goals coming into the season -- to be in the position to win a district game. And we did it today," Marquette head coach Derek Swajanen said.
Swajanen noted the Wenk has been the Redmen's ace all season. "His ERA is around two, and his WHIP was a little over one. He makes his pitches, and he's not afraid to throw curve balls, even when he's ahead in the count. He mixes his pitches well, he does a great job."
Andrew Paupore pitched for the Flivvers, fanning eight batters while walking three and allowing two earned runs on three hits in 5 1/3 innings. After giving up the two runs in the first inning, the Kingsford senior found his stride and only allowed two more baserunners until reaching his pitch count maximum after one hitter in the top of the sixth inning.
Wenk and Jacob Knauss each drove in a run in the opening half of the first inning for Marquette.
"Paupore did a nice job after regrouping from the first inning. One thing that should be noted is that our four hitters at the bottom of our batting order had upwards of 10 pitch at bats, so that drove his (Paupore) pitch count up," Swajanen added.
"Andrew (Paupore) did a great job, I was sad to see him have to come out of the game, but he reached his pitch count limit," Kingsford first-year head coach Matt LaLonde said. "For a senior and being our No. 1 rotation guy, we only took him out when we had no choice but to do so."
The bottom of the second is when the Flivvers got on the scoreboard, with third basemen Riley Juneau reaching base on an infield hit to lead off the inning. Paupore cracked a double to send Juneau to third base.
"Head's-up base running by both Andrew (Paupore) and Riley (Juneau) got us in the position we needed to tie the game," LaLonde said.
Sawyer Pugh's RBI single drove home Kingsford's two runs, and for the next four full innings it was a pitchers' duel.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Flivvers senior Nolan LaVarnway reached base on a Marquette error to lead off the inning. LaVarnway advanced to second after a sacrifice bunt by senior catcher Carter Kreski.
LaVarnway stole third on the ensuing pitch with Henry McRoberts up to bat. LaVarnway attempted to steal home -- Marquette catcher Brady Wright and third baseman Erik Johnson got LaVarnway caught in a run down -- the third base umpire ruled that Wright had interfered with the runner, and gave the Flivvers a run.
Swajanen came out and argued the call, once the third base and home plate umpires discussed the play, LaVarnway was called out, wiping away the run.
"That hurt our momentum, getting a run taken away from us. It's mentally draining," LaLonde said. "Sometimes those things get dwelled on, and it was game changing."
Once Paupore excited the game, Pugh came in to pitch in relief. Pugh fanned three hitters, walked two and allowed two earned runs on two hits in the top half of the final inning.
Wright pitched the bottom of the seventh fot Marquette, retiring all the batters he faced, to earn a save.
The Flivvers finish their season with a 15-6 record. "We had a great season. We beat Gladstone for the first time in program history, and we beat this Marquette team on the road," LaLonde said. "I think being 15-5 coming into the districts, everyone involved would want to be a part of that."
The Flivvers season ending means three seniors played their last game in the maize and blue. Kreski, Paupore and LaVarnway will be missed, LaLonde said.
Marquette moves on to host Sault Ste. Marie in a District 33 semifinal Saturday morning, while Escanaba and Cheboygan will play in the other semifinal, also at Marquette.
"When we started seven weeks ago, practicing in the gym, we had three practices and had our first game," Swajanen said. "I told the boys as long as they learned from their mistakes and learned about baseball in each game as the season went along, we'd get better and the boys did that."
Marquette 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 -- 4/5/1
Kingsford 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 -- 2/4/1
W: Wenk; L: Pugh; S: Wright
LOB: M-7; K-3