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Near perfect start: LaDuron hurls no hitter in Twilight opener

Eddie O’Neill/Daily Mining Gazette Superior National Bank-Stanton’s Tyler LaDuron delivers a pitch during a Twilight League game Tuesday at Stanton Field. LaDuron fanned 13 batters in the contest.

STANTON — After a long winter and a shorter spring, Copper County Twilight League baseball opened the 2019 summer season opened with a no-hitter. In six innings, Superior National Bank-Stanton’s Tyler LaDuron faced 18 batters from the Fighting Joe’s and struck out 13 of them with his blazing fast ball.

Perhaps more impressively, he fanned 10 in a row. As well, he only walked one batter in the first inning thus just missing the perfect game. SNB-Stanton went on to win the game, 10-0, with the mercy rule in effect after six innings.

“Tyler was right on today,” stated SNB-Stanton’s player-manager Daron Durocher. “He was incredibly accurate as well. He only threw a handful of balls.”

The Fighting Joe’s, as they are affectionately known as they are without a corporate sponsor yet, are a new team in Twilight League this year. They replace Orbit-Wolverine, which was made up of current and former Calumet and Finlandia University ballplayers.

“They couldn’t put a team together, so we were able to shuffle some things around and keep the league going for another year,” said Durocher, who serves as the league’s commissioner as well. “It is great to back on the ball field after a long winter. It is nice to see a new team and to keep the league alive.”

The Fighting Joe’s consist of current and former players from Houghton, L’Anse and Jeffers, among others. In fact, Houghton’s manager, Joe Romano, is their coach for the summer.

Rounding out the four-team league is Dean Kangas-State Farm and REL. Inc. Mohawk Technology. Both of these teams have been in the league for a number of years. Without a team from Calumet, all Twilight games this year will be played in Stanton and Hancock’s Driving Park.

“I think the kids did well,” said Romano. “Stanton is the best in the league as they have demonstrated year after year.”

SNB-Stanton jumped on the scoreboard early as they scored two off of back-to-back hits by LaDuron and third baseman Eric Nettell. Interestingly, SNB-Stanton faced former teammate and veteran pitcher Rob Brooks, who in now with the Fighting Joes as part of the new team configurations.

When asked if he missed being with his old teammates, Brooks responded, ” yes,” but he added that he was simply happy to have the opportunity to be back on the mound for another year.

Brooks kept the SNB-Stanton bats at bay for the second, third, and fourth innings with his signature knuckle ball. However, SNB-Stanton caught on to it in the fifth as they knocked in four more runs thanks to singles by catcher Kevin Bostwick and shortstop Justin Kirby. They touched home on a hard-hit double off the right field fence by Nettell who was knocked in by a shot up the middle by left fielder Eli Luoma.

In the sixth inning, LaDuron helped his own cause with a three-run blast over the left center fence to cinch the victory.

Both teams noted that they are looking forward to a summer of baseball.

“We’ll be okay, said Romano. “Its good for the kids to be out here. I am looking forward to the season.”

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