Bantam Sox struggle in opener

The Elks 341 Bantam Black Sox opened their weekend tournament locally on Friday in a tough way.

A 13-error defensive performance led to the Black Sox dropping a 14-4 decision to Thunder Bay to open their schedule. Suttons Bay won the other Friday game, defeating Sudbury 14-2.

The locals committed eight errors in the final two innings in a game they led 3-1 early on.

"They (Thunder Bay) put the ball in play and forced us to make the plays and we didn't," said Black Sox coach Chris Walls. "(The players) took this as a learning experience and moved on."

The Black Sox managed just two hits in the loss, by Corey Jackson and Ryan Olar.

Playing shorthanded as they had some regulars out of the lineup due to their graduations, Walls was pleased with the play of call-up Jackson Gray. The young outfielder was called up late prior to the game and started in left field.

The tournament continues on Saturday morning and runs throughout the day. Saturday's schedule includes (all games at Sinclair Yards):

Petoskey vs. Escanaba – 10 a.m. (Field E) Suttons Bay vs. Thunder Bay – 12:30 p.m. (Field E) Ishpeming vs. Petoskey – 12:30 p.m. (Field G) Elks 341 vs. Suttons Bay – 3 p.m. (Field E) Sudbury vs. Thunder Bay – 3 p.m. (Field G) Ishpeming vs. Escanaba – 6 p.m. (Field E) Elks 341 vs. Sudbury – 8:30 p.m. (Field E)