Portage Lake pitcher Brad Juopperi prepares to deliver a pitch during a District 11 Little League Minors game against Ishpeming Monday at the Range Town Veterans Memorial Park in South Range. (Daver Karnosky/Daily Mining Gazette)

SOUTH RANGE — With three runs in the first, six more in the second and nine more in the third, the Portage Lake All-Stars eliminated the Ishpeming All-Stars Monday in District 11 Little League Minors tournament play at Range Town Veterans Memorial Park, 18-1.

Dane Guidotti and Zayne Benda both reached in all three innings and scored in all three innings to help drive Portage Lake’s offensive outburst.

Considering that Portage Lake lost their opening game of the tournament to Negaunee, 11-2, on Saturday, they were looking for a much better result Monday, which they got.

“That was much more fun than Saturday,” said Portage Lake coach Daron Durocher. “Negaunee’s really good. We knew we had an opportunity to hit the ball here, and kids got into the game and got to experience it, running the bases and all that good stuff.

“Got it over just in time for the rain. So, it worked out pretty well there, too.”

Just after Portage Lake finished celebrating on the field near their dugout because they were going to get to play again Tuesday, rain, which had been threatening for much of the game, poured onto the field.

Daron Durocher was pleased with how his team performed, especially on the mound, where Brad Juopperi got the start and Eli Mayo pitched in relief, and behind home plate, where Devin Lasanen was strong all game.

“(The) kids played well,” Daron Durocher said. “Brad pitched pretty decent. Eli came in, I think he struck out all three. I was happy.

“Devin caught a really good game. That was fun. The kids had fun. It was all about that.”

Daron Durocher mentioned that he was happy to see that Juopperi, who had been struggling in practice on the mound, stepped in and found his rhythm during the game.

“Brad, to be honest, was struggling in practice, and I wanted to (see if he could do it),” Durocher said. “So, we put him out there and he performs better in a game. I know a lot of people that kind of do that, but it was good to see.”

Mayo, in relief struck out the first two batters he faced, and then added one more to close out the game.

“Eli came in and threw pretty nice,” said Durocher, “so now I have some confidence in him to do it.”

It did not take long for Portage Lake to assert themselves in the game. Nolan LaTendresse reached on a defensive error to start the game. He got to second and then stole third while Guidotti was at the plate. Guidotti singled to bring him home. Benda followed with a single to right field, which scored Guidotti. Lasanen then moved Benda into scoring position with a sacrifice, and Mayo knocked him home with an infield single.

For Josh Rich’s Ishpeming squad, unforced defensive errors proved costly throughout the game.

“Lots of errors for us,” he said. “But, we had a young team. We were really excited. The young kids make the throwing errors, and a lot of errors kind of puts us down, and it was hard to climb back out of it, you know?”

Ishpeming got one run back in the bottom half of the first inning. Liam Huetter led off with a walk. He scored on a Nolan Nault sacrifice two batters later.

From there, the game belonged to Portage Lake.

Juopperi helped himself out with a bunt to start the second inning. He made it to second base before the play came to an end. Then Evie Kuntze sacrificed to move him to third. He scored on a passed ball. Drea Durocher then walked and later scored on a defensive error. Alex Frantti walked and scored on a passed ball. Chase Aho singled, and then scored on a passed ball. Frantti also scored on a passed ball just prior to that.

Guidotti walked and later scored on a defensive error. Benda walked and later scored on a single by Levi Heltunen, and that put Portage Lake up 9-1.

In the third, Lane Johnson led off with a single to right field. He scored on a passed ball after Juopperi drew a walk. Kuntze then sacrificed to bring Juopperi home. Drea Durocher reached on a defensive error, then got caught up in a pickle between first and second, but reached second safely. Then Frantti singled, and Durocher was caught up in another pickle between third and home. He was running back to third when he fell, but he got back up and made the turn for home, scoring on the play. Frantti advanced to third while all of that was going on.

Aho singled, scoring Frantti. Aho stole second and advanced to third on a defensive error. He then scored on a passed ball. LaTendresse reached on a defensive error and advanced to second before the play came to an end. He later scored on a passed ball.

Guidotti picked up an infield single. He stole second before Benda was issued a walk. Lasanen then doubled past third base, scoring both runners. Two batters later, Benda scored on a passed ball.

UP NEXT

With the win, Portage Lake advances to face Penokee Range on Tuesday, who defeated Keweenaw, 7-6. Ishpeming’s season came to an end with the loss.