Coldwell Banker Craig Heinonen's Kyle Heltunen takes a cut at the plate in the opening game of the Leo Durocher Memorial Tournament against Garnet Garage Thursday in Stanton. (Eddie O’Neill/For the Gazette)

STANTON — The 25th Annual Leo Durocher Memorial Tournament kicked off on Thursday in Stanton. Coldwell Banker Craig Heinonen claimed the first win of the weekend with a 6-4 victory over Garnet Garage.

It was a game tied at one apiece until the fifth inning, and that is when the Coldwell bats came alive and tallied five runs.

“That was good to see,” said Coldwell Banker player-coach Ross Kinnunen. “We hit the ball and earned those five runs.”

The first runs for both teams came in the third inning. Garnet Garage scored first with Jackson VanDoloski belting a double and later scoring on a Kevin Bostwick single up the middle.

Coldwell Banker countered with their own run courtesy of pitcher Brady Turner, who got to first on a base rap and crossed home on a Trevor Halonen RBI.

Then came the fifth where Coldwell seemingly got the best of Garnet Garage starting pitcher Coy Budweg. Some misplayed fly balls and a hit-by-pitch certainly aided in the scoring. Scoring that inning were Brogan Turner, Eric Anderson, Carson Turner and Ross Kinnunen.

Ross Kinnunen had a bases-clearing double, and came home for the fifth run off a deep fly ball hit by Andrew Kinnunen.

While Garnet Garage was able to counter with three runs in the top of the seventh, it was not enough to catch up with Coldwell Banker. A strikeout to Garnet Garage’s Gaborik Carlson ended the game.

“Brady (Turner) pitched well,” said Ross Kinnunen, “and for the most part, we played well in the field. It’s good to open the tournament with a win.”

Up next

The Leo Durocher Memorial Tournament continues Saturday with four games and Sunday with the semifinals and finals at Stanton Field. The championship game is slated for 3:30 p.m. on Sunday.