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Rayders, Ramblers split in baseball rivalry; EJ sweep Blazers

drew kochanny, the petoskey news-review
·4 min read
Boyne City's Gavin Hewitt (14) comes across the plate to score for the Ramblers just as the ball arrives to Charlevoix catcher Troy Nickel during Monday's opener.
Boyne City's Gavin Hewitt (14) comes across the plate to score for the Ramblers just as the ball arrives to Charlevoix catcher Troy Nickel during Monday's opener.

CHARLEVOIX — The kind of jersey might change from season to season, but the colors and rivalry between Boyne City and Charlevoix never fades.

On Monday in Charlevoix, it came time for the Rayder and Rambler baseball squads to meet up on the diamond for the first time in 2023 and each walked away with a feather in their cap after a doubleheader split.

Charlevoix's Owen Waha fields a play at shortstop and fires to first for an out vs. Boyne City.
Charlevoix's Owen Waha fields a play at shortstop and fires to first for an out vs. Boyne City.

Boyne City pulled in a 4-1 victory in the opener against Charlevoix, surviving some tight innings and a bases loaded jam late, then an 11-hit nightcap by the Rayders delivered a 12-2 victory for the home team.

Charlevoix moved to 20-3-1 overall with the split, while Boyne improved to 6-13-2.

In game one, Boyne City’s Kacey Gray delivered a six-inning, one-hit performance on the mound, while striking out five. He also walked five.

The Ramblers played small ball to collect the victory, with Mason Wilcox, Jack Paquette, Jacob Johnson and Jagger Peck all singling as the lone hits.

Boyne City's Jacob Johnson takes a face full of dirt sliding back into first base on a throw from the pitcher Monday.
Boyne City's Jacob Johnson takes a face full of dirt sliding back into first base on a throw from the pitcher Monday.

For Charlevoix, AJ Speigl had the lone single and an RBI. Bryce Johnson went five and a third strong innings with just four hits and a walk issued, while striking out 11. Speigl also pitched two thirds of an inning, striking out two.

In game two, extra-base hits were the key to Charlevoix’s success, as they collected three triples and a double.

Speigl doubled and tripled, drove in four runs and scored three, Ryan Pearl singled twice and drove in three runs, Patrick Sterrett singled and tripled and scored three runs and Owen Waha also tripled.

Boyne City coach Ryan Brubaker (left) runs onto the field to celebrate with second baseman Jack Paquette, who made an over the shoulder basket catch to get out of a bases-loaded jam vs. Charlevoix.
Boyne City coach Ryan Brubaker (left) runs onto the field to celebrate with second baseman Jack Paquette, who made an over the shoulder basket catch to get out of a bases-loaded jam vs. Charlevoix.

Johnson also singled in a run, as did Troy Nickel, and Dylan Clapp singled twice.

Waha earned the victory behind seven strikeouts in five innings, while giving up six hits and a walk.

For Boyne City in game two, Wilcox homered, Paquette doubled and Will Brown had an RBI single.

Wilcox went two and two thirds on the mound with seven hits and four walks issued, while striking out two. Gavin Hewitt also went an inning and two thirds with four hits and two walks allowed.

It came as Charlevoix’s final home doubleheader of the season, with the Rayders next heading to Mancelona on Wednesday, May 17.

Boyne City remains on the road the rest of the way as well, with next up a trip to the Glen Lake Tournament on Saturday, May 20.

Charlevoix's AJ Speigl sends a pitch to the plate in the opener against rival Boyne City on Monday in Charlevoix.
Charlevoix's AJ Speigl sends a pitch to the plate in the opener against rival Boyne City on Monday in Charlevoix.

East Jordan at Kalkaska 

KALKASKA — A little break away from the diamond did the East Jordan baseball team some good as they returned to a doubleheader sweep Monday.

EJ swept through Kalkaska with wins of 6-5 and 5-4 in Lake Michigan Conference action.

“It certainly wasn’t a pretty couple of wins, but we gritted them out,” EJ coach Tom Reid said. “I’m all in all, proud of how we played throughout the grind tonight.”

Dawson Carey scored in extra innings on a sacrifice fly by Ben Reid in game one, while Brenden Aenis and Korbyn Russell each homered and singled. Carey also doubled and singled and had an RBI.

Reid earned the win, while Eli Burns also pitched and struck out seven.

Ethan Thomas earned the game-two victory on the mound through five innings, striking out five. Russell also earned his second save of the day in the final inning.

At the plate, Russell doubled twice, singled and had an RBI and Connor Boyer singled twice.

East Jordan will next take on Mancelona on Friday, May 19 in a special game played in Traverse City at Turtle Creek Stadium.

NORTHERN LAKES 

Mackinaw City at Harbor Light

HARBOR SPRINGS — The Mackinaw City and Harbor Light Christian baseball teams met up in a Northern Lakes showdown and split Monday.

The Comets earned a 5-3 win in the nightcap, with the Swordsmen taking game one, 10-8.

In that opener, Harbor Light’s Will Paulus took the victory behind eight strikeouts, while Derk Boerman, Corin Paulus and Daniel Keefe all combined for six RBIs and four runs scored for the Swordsmen.

In game two, Boerman struck out 10 and didn’t allow an earned run, as errors did the Swordsmen in.

Boerman also had a two-RBI double and Joe Ruthig singled twice.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Rayders, Ramblers split in baseball rivalry; EJ sweep Blazers