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Keweenaw Minors lose second straight game in walk-off fashion

Penokee Range pitcher Talon Linn watches his pitch during a District 11 Little League Minors game against Keweenaw Monday at the Range Town Veterans Memorial Park in South Range. (Daver Karnosky/Daily Mining Gazette)

SOUTH RANGE — Despite having their game delayed, the Keweenaw All-Stars and Penokee Range All-Stars battled to the final batter in the District 11 Little League Minors tournament Monday. Penokee Range earned the right to return to the Range Town Veterans Memorial Park Tuesday night, thanks to a 7-6 win.

For the second straight day, Keweenaw came up just short. Penokee Range’s Willard Perry led off with a single to right field off of Keweenaw relief pitcher Andy Bjorn.

Carson Ikola drew a patient walk. Both runners advanced into scoring position on a passed ball.

Two batters later, Wyatt Choronzy doubled to center field, scoring both Perry and Ikola, which turned a 6-4 deficit into a tie game with the lead run just two bases away. Two batters later, Choronzy stole third, putting him in a direct line with the plate.

Up to the plate stepped Carter Kennedy, who had struck out and flied out before making contact with their fourth pitch of the at bat. Kennedy took off for first base, and when the throw to first base bounced past the base, Kennedy reached safely. At the same time, Choronzy scrambled home, scoring the winning run.

For Penokee Range coach Paul Linn, the strategy entering the inning was just to get runners on base first, then let the proverbial chips fall where they may.

“Bottom of six, down by two, I just told our kids they have to believe,” he said. “They have to believe in themselves. This is a game that you have to come out, down by two, down by three, doesn’t matter. We have to come out and believe in every guy up to bat, have to be aggressive at the plate.

“We knew we had to get runners on base, but our batters had to be smart. We got them on base, and then it was aggressive base running. We told them we had to be aggressive on the bases. We had to get the home plate, and that’s what they did. (The) kids just showed up and kept their heads high. We scored some runs and won the game.”

With Kennedy stepping to the plate with Choronzy already on base, Paul Linn admitted that there was a lot of pressure on the 10 year old to knock his teammate home.

“Absolutely, a lot of nerves, a lot of nerves; a lot of pressure on a 10-year-old kid right there,” he said. “He harnessed it. He was very nervous, but he harnessed it, and he got that hit.

“Now that’s just going to bring him up. So, his next at bat, he’s going to be up there with a puffed up chest with a lot of confidence and ready to hit the ball.”

For Josh Frantti’s squad, it was the second straight day they came up just short. However, he was proud of the effort his team put up.

“I mean, it’s obviously a tough, tough way to lose a game, right? But, I mean, our kids did a great job kind of staying with it, battling back, being down there, being tied, going in the sixth, getting some big runs,” he said. “Some guys in the order stepping up and getting on base, and they did everything right.

“It’s just, baseball is one of those funny games where weird things happen. They did a good job battling back, too. It was just, it was another great game. (We) just (finished) on the tough end of it.”

Keweenaw had come into the top of the sixth inning looking to break open a 4-4 tie. With one out already on the board, Reid Halonen walked. Brooks Dessellier stepped to the plate and showed bunt. He then laid down that bunt and took off for first base. The throw to first base missed its mark, and both runners were on the move.

Halonen came all the way around from first to score on the play. Dessellier made it third base and stopped, but another error defensively gave him time to sprint home, putting Keweenaw up by two runs.

“Brooks Dessellier did a great job putting on a bunt, moved the guy over,” said Frantti. “We talked to him in the dugout, just kind of saying, ‘Hey, if he gets on base, we’re gonna bunt him over, and a good chance you’re probably going to get on.’

“He ended up scoring, scoring on the play. I mean, like I said, baseball is one of those weird games where things happen, and that’s why you play until the end.”

Keweenaw jumped out a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Bjorn singled to center field and then later scored on a passed ball.

They added to that lead in the third when Elmer Tailvakoski singled. Bjorn followed with a single to left field. Tailvakoski scored on an error, and Bjorn followed when Zac Therrian singled, putting Keweenaw up 3-0.

In the bottom half of the third, Penokee Range struck four times to take their first lead of the night.

Mason Schneller got things started with a lead-off walk. He later advanced to third on a passed ball. Perry then walked. Another passed ball gave Schneller time to score. Two batters later, Talon Linn reached first base on a defensive error, putting runners on the corners. Choronzy then doubled to center field, scoring Perry and Linn to even things at 3-3.

Choronzy wasn’t done. He stole third, and then scored on a passed ball.

In the fifth, Keweenaw evened the game when Ben Bonacorsi hit into a fielder’s choice and reached first. He advanced to second on a passed ball and then to third on a Tailvakoski sacrifice fly. Bjorn then doubled to left field, which brought Bonacorsi home.

UP NEXT

With the loss, Keweenaw’s season came to an end Monday night. For Penokee Range, the win means a matchup with Portage Lake on Tuesday evening.

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