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Tough Break: Gremlins end Bulldogs’ season with big win

Paul Paterson/For the Gazette Hancock first baseman Ron Moilanen reaches for a low throw in the fifth inning of the opening game of Tuesday's doubleheader versus Houghton. The Gremlins swept the twinbill over their rivals.

HANCOCK — A long season ended Tuesday for the Hancock High baseball team with a loss to rival Houghton at the Hancock Driving Park.

The young Bulldogs dropped a 14-5 decision with the second game being cancelled.

Bulldogs manager John Sullivan said it was a learning process for a team that had seven freshmen, a sophomore and one senior.

“We started out with what looked like a pretty solid roster with 17 kids signing up,” Sullivan said. “But things happened and we ended up with pretty much a freshman team. We didn’t win a game.”

Houghton manager Rob Scholie had no such problems, with 15 players on the roster.

“We’ve got a mix of older players with some new kids,” Scholie said. “It’s worked pretty well.”

Houghton’s Tyler Romps, making his first start of the season, turned in an impressive outing.

After working out a bases-loaded situation in the opening frame, the sophomore hurler handcuffed the Bulldogs until the sixth inning.

He struck out ten batters before giving way to reliever Tyler Cleary in the final inning.

After taking a 1-0 lead after one inning on RBI single by Justin Norkol, Houghton broke the contest open with seven runs in the third stanza.

A pair of walks and a hit-batter got the big inning rolling. Ty Halonen hit a fielder’s choice for one run, Kevin Bostwick singled in another and Norkol cleared the bases with a booming triple.

P.J. Donnelly tripled in two more runs and came in on a single by Brandon Norkol for an 8-0 reading.

Hancock fought back with three runs in the fourth on a double by Tapani, a walk and a two-run single by Colin Cowell. Jakob Vettori singled in another run.

Houghton added one run in the bottom of the fourth, Halonen singling in the run.

The Orange and Black made it 11-3 with two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. Halonen’s double was the big hit.

After Hancock scored twice in the sixth on Vettori’s two run single, HHS put it away with three more runs, Austin Kuivanen singling in two.

The two Houghton pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts.

Losing pitcher Vettori fanned six batters.

Halonen rapped out two hits along with Justin Norkol and Bostwick.

Vettori had two knocks for the Bulldogs.

Houghton will now prepare for regional tourney play next week.

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