The Milan News-Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
U-13 baseball squad claims tournament title
PUBLISHED: May 26, 2005
The Milan Big Red U-13 baseball team started its season with a bang, compiling a 7-1-1 early season record and taking over first place in WABA's U-13 division.
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The Big Reds scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning May 18 to cap a furious comeback and defeat defending WABA champ Huntington Woods 7-6.
The Big Reds won the Howell Hawks Invitational last weekend by stunning the highly regarded host team, the Saline Buzz team, in the championship game late Sunday night.
The Big Reds knocked off Huntington Woods with a seventh inning rally.
Michael Craig led off the seventh with a walk. Craig was doubled home by Drew Harper. Harper then scored on an Aaron Straub single. A.J. Champagne singled, moving Straub to third. Drew Harris then singled, scoring Straub and moving Champagne to third.
Champagne scored the tying run by stealing home on a passed ball. After intentional walks to Austin Farmer and Barry Bock, Michael McGraw drilled a singled to right field, scoring Harris with the game winning run. Straub and Harper scattered six hits over seven innings to pace the Big Reds defensively.
Milan slipped in the first game of the invitational to BAMM 9-3.
After scoring two runs in the first inning, Milan's bats went silent, giving Straub and Harper little support on the mound in the team's first game in the Howell Hawks Invitational. Harper had his first of two singles in the game in the first inning, driving in Craig, who led off the game with a walk. Harper stole second and scored on a single by Champagne. Grant Karr had the only other hit for the Big Reds in the game.
Milan defeated Fowlerville 10-8 in a Saturday night game.
Karr paced the attack with a double, a single, two runs and an RBI. Jared Mullins and Champagne had two hits. Jason Wagenknecht and Harper also had hits.
Bock, Harper, Harris, McGraw, Craig, and Champagne had RBIs. Austin Farmer, Bock, Harper, Harris, Champagne, Wagenknecht, Mullins, and Craig scored for the Big Reds. Karr pitched four solid innings, earning the win. Champagne pitched the final for the save.
Milan edged Kingston, a team from Ontario, 5-4 on Sunday.
The Milan bats were slow to wake up from Saturday night's 11:30 p.m. finish. But Michael Craig led the way with three hits, scoring two runs and pitching four strong innings. He struck out three and scattered four hits.
Bock pitched the last three innings, striking out five batters and giving up only two hits. Straub added two hits and an RBI. Harper, Champagne, Farmer, and Harris also added hits. Karr had two RBIs, including the game winning RBI, driving in Craig in the bottom of the seventh.
Milan saved its most impressive performance for the host team, the Howell Hawks, as the Big Reds triumphed 15-12.
Howell scored two runs in the bottom of the first, but Milan responded by scoring eight runs in the top of the second. Milan scored four more runs in the third against a stunned Howell team that had not allowed a run in its first three games of the tournament.
Howell responded with seven runs in the fourth inning. In the top of the sixth, the Big Reds responded in a big way, scoring four runs to go on top for good. Dakota Cooley pitched five strong innings, scattering eight hits and striking out two for the win.
Aaron Straub picked up the save in the last inning, striking out two Howell batters. Offensively, Craig had three hits, a run and two RBIs.
Straub also had three hits, including two doubles. He scored three runs and had four RBIs. Bock, Harris, and Champagne each had two hits. Karr also added a hit. Harris and Bock scored three runs apiece. Wagenknecht added two runs. Cooley, Craig, Champagne, and Farmer also scored.
McGraw, Craig and Champagne each had two RBIs. Harper, Karr, Farmer, and Cooley each added an RBI.
Milan's Straub and Harper pitched a four-hitter as Milan beat the Saline Buzz 5-4 in the championship game.
The two combined on eight strikeouts and no walks against an outstanding Saline team. Offensively, Mullins, Cooley, and Bock led the way with two hits each. Harper and Karr each added a hit. Harper had two RBIs, and McGraw added an RBI.
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