SAULT STE. MARIE - The Hancock Post 186 American Legion baseball team fell short of the final round of the Zone 5 Tournament last weekend, as its 1-2 record was not good enough to advance.
"We definitely had the deepest pitching staff of any team at the tournament and we were well-positioned for the final day, but we suffered two disappointing losses and didn't get the chance to play the final day," manager Nels Paul said.
Gladstone defeated Hancock 9-6 in the opener. Hancock outhit the Indians 11-8 but committed seven errors to Gladstone's one.
Kris Turunen took the loss, while Tyler LaDuron had four hits.
In game two, Hancock easily blanked Channing 15-0. LaDuron threw three scoreless innings for the win, allowing two hits and striking out five. LaDuron and Luke Paul homered.
Hancock faced a pivotal game with Kingsford for a spot in the semis, but its 4-0 lead after two innings didn't hold.
Kingsford tied the game with two unearned runs in the seventh, then pulled ahead for good on an opposite-field RBI single in the eighth. Luke Paul struck out 11 in 7 1/3 innings.
Hancock finishes the season with a 32-10 record.