Houghton Building Supply-Stanton’s Gaborik Carlson bats against REL Inc.-Mohawk Technology during the championship game of the 22nd annual Leo Durocher Memorial Tournament on Sunday in Stanton Township. (Eddie O’Neill/The Daily Mining Gazette)

STANTON TOWNSHIP — The 22nd annual Leo Durocher Tournament wrapped up on Sunday with Houghton Building Supply-Stanton hitting their way to an 8-2 championship victory over REL-Mohawk Technology.

It is the second time HBS-Stanton has won the tournament in the past three years and the 11th time they’ve won it since it began in 2001.

“Our bats came around and our pitcher Eli Louma worked his magic on the mound,” said HBS-Stanton’s player-manager Daron Durocher. “We have a great group of players, and it all came together for us this weekend.”

Houghton Building Supply’s Gaborik Carlson was named the tournament’s MVP. The recent Houghton High School grad was quick on the base paths and unstoppable at the plate.

“Gaborik did not have a strike out all weekend. He basically won our game against (Northern) Driveline,” Durocher said.

In that one, Houghton Building Supply was down 4-2 against Northern headed into the last inning. With two men on base, Carlson slapped a single to left and brought in two runs to tie the game. He then made it to second, and in his attempt to steal third, Northern’s catcher overthrew the ball, and Carlson came home standing up.

“I had a great weekend, and it’s an honor to be named MVP,” Carlson said.

The two-day, six-team tournament included the five teams from the Copper Country Twilight League and the Channing Railroaders of the Superiorland Baseball League (Marquette, Dickinson and Delta counties).

Houghton Building Supply’s road to the championship game included their Driveline win and a 10-2 tilt against Craig Heinonen Coldwell Banker.

REL-Mohawk arrived at the finals with a 11-3 Saturday win over Garnet Garage and a Sunday 8-3 victory over Channing.

While they hit the ball well in those two games, REL-Mohawk Technology laid an egg in the championship game.

“Eli pitched a good game for them, and we just had way too many errors in the field,” said REL Inc.-MT player-manager Tyler Loukus.

It was a 1-1 game after the first inning. However, HBS-Stanton added four more runs to that. It started with Levi Frahm reaching first on a missed ball in the outfield. Kade Farrell was then hit by a pitch from REL-Mohawk’s starter Dean Jurmu. Carlson followed with a two-run RBI single and would later come home to score. Third baseman Erik Nettle kept the rally going with an RBI single of his own that brought in Dax Durocher.

The HBS squad continued to put the ball in play in the third inning by tacking on two more runs in the third to make it a 7-1 lead. They added a final run in the fifth.

REL Inc.-MT’s second run came in the fifth by way of a double by Jurmu an an RBI by Tyler Loukus.

Louma went the distance on the mound and struck out six along the way for the win.

Despite the loss, Loukus said he enjoyed the tournament.

“It was a fun tournament and always has been,” he said.

The Twilight League has the week off before returning Tuesday, July 5. HBS-Stanton visits REL Inc.-MT at 6:30 p.m. at Driving Park in Hancock. Garnet Garage plays Northern Driveline at 6:30 p.m. at Stanton Ball Field.

HBS-Stanton 142 010 0 – 8

REL Inc.-MT 100 010 0 – 2