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Calumet earns sweep over Jeffers

Jamie Glenn/Daily Mining Gazette Calumet’s Brent Loukus fouls off a pitch from Jeffers’ Evan Larson during the first game of a doubleheader Friday at Stanton Field. The Copper Kings won both contests.

STANTON — The Jeffers Jets baseball team fell to the Calumet Copper Kings in doubleheader action at Stanton Field on Friday. In the opener, the Jets kept things close, falling 4-2, but could not string enough together to plate a run in the nightcap, falling 8-0.

Strong pitching by senior Evan Larson kept the Jets alive in the opener, but errors early in the game cost them.

“(In) the first game, essentially we made a few mental mistakes,” said Jets manager Steve Lishinski. “We made a few blunders. It was more so I don’t think we were ready for game speed. It’s just those kind of learning things that we need to get through. We’ll be fine as we learn the game a little bit better and get outside more.”

Lishinski praised his veteran pitcher for keeping the game within reach.

“Evan Larson, he’s a senior. He did an outstanding job,” said Lishinski. “I talked to him yesterday about just (playing) a couple of innings, just seeing how he would do. He ended up throwing a complete game for us and did exactly what we wanted him to do: throwing strikes, giving us a chance to stay in the game. He did a wonderful job.”

Sam Kiiskila hit into the middle of the outfield with bases loaded allowing Ryan Anderson, who reached on a walk, Sam Erkkila, who was hit by a pitch and Brent Loukus, who singled, to get things rolling for the Copper Kings in the third inning.

Eli Larson responded for the Jets in the top of the fourth inning when he knocked home Elias Rajala. Rajala had singled to lead off the inning,

Looking for some insurance, the Copper Kings got just that when Kiiskila singled on the second pitch he saw in his at bat from Evan Larson. He then scored on a passed ball, pushing Calumet’s lead to 4-1.

Rajala tripled to open the sixth inning, putting pressure on the Copper Kings’ defense. Evan Larson brought him home by hitting into a fielder’s choice.

“I was pleasantly surprised with the pitching in both games” said Calumet manager Dave Yeo. “Their pitch count wasn’t up and that’s a credit to our defense, they played well too. We had some good catches in the outfield.”

The Copper Kings rearranged their lineup in the second contest. The move paid off quickly in the second inning.

Seth Coppo singled to get things going for Calumet. Two batters later, Rilei reached on an error, and Coppo made his way home.

On the mound, Brent Loukus kept the Jets’ offense in check until the Copper Kings found their way around the bases again in the fourth.

“Brent throws a lot harder,” said Yeo. “That probably kept them (Jeffers) off their toes a little bit. (Dan Tarnowski) was throwing the junk and the sliders and stuff like that.”

Dima Kristapovich opened the fourth with a single. Gabe Coppo followed with a double, which brought Kristapovich home.

Erkkila then walked before Brent Loukus singled to bring Coppo home. Erkkila and Loukus then both scored on a double from Tom Voelker, pushing Calumet’s lead to 5-0.

Kiiskila singled to spark Calumet’s offense in the fifth. Rylan Anderson was then hit by a pitch. Gabe Coppo then singled to bring Kiiskila home. Anderson and Coppo both scored on a throwing error, pushing the score to 8-0.

Lishinski felt that his team struggled to sort out Brent Loukus on the mound.

“The second game we didn’t hit well,” said Lishinski. “We had a couple of hits, but we didn’t string things together. If we can string a few hits together and get a couple of guys to really get some fudge hitting, I think we’ll be okay. We need to get our timing a little bit better in the box.”

The Copper Kings will face Gladstone tomorrow and the Jets will play Gogebic on Tuesday.

“Tomorrow we’re in Gladstone,” said Yeo. “We’re probably going to have our work cut out for us. I mean, we’ve (only) been outside a few times ,but it’ll be good for the boys.”

“It’s our first conference doubleheader,” said Lishinski, “it’s Tuesday, in Bessemer against Gogebic. I think the biggest thing we need to do is continue with our pitching. Our pitching was solid all day. I know they (Calumet) scored (eight) runs (in) that second game. A couple of errors hurt us, (but) if we can continue to throw strikes I think we’ll be fine.”

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