Midget Black Sox defeat Travelers

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – A pair of five-run innings paced the Soo Black Sox to an 11-4 victory in Great Lakes Baseball League action on Tuesday night.

The Black Sox scored five runs in each of the second and third innings to snag the victory over the EUP Travelers in the Michigan Sault. A Kyle Sayers sacrifice fly in the fourth completed the Soo scoring in the win.

“We hit the ball well all day today,” said Black Sox coach Ryan Johns. “After the third inning we didn’t hit the ball for a little bit. We had a couple guys get on here and there but nothing real strong.”

Joey Lesage paced the Black Sox with a single and a double and knocked in three runs in the process.

Johns was also pleased with the performance of his pitchers. The Black Sox used five pitchers in the win as Nick Moon got the start and Andrew Toni, J.J. Bergamin, Tyler Binkley, and Jake Yukich all saw action.

“Everybody pitched reasonably well,” Johns said. “Everybody threw strikes. This is our only game this week so it’s a good tuneup for some guys to get some innings.”

The Travelers, aside from their struggles in the second and third inning, kept the game close and began to battle back in the third, but had troubles with the likes of Bergamin, Binkley, and Yukich.

“We played better towards the end,” said Travelers coach Greg Rambo. “It all comes back to pitching. It was hot out and when the ball is hit the players aren’t ready to make a play. We came back and we put the ball in play against Bergamin and Binkley. Most of our kids are young and not used to seeing that kind of fastball. We put the ball in play and made some plays.”

Yukich and Tyler Wilson each added a pair of singles for the Black Sox while Sayers, Kyle Diotte and Jake Lake each reached base twice.

The Black Sox travel to Midland for their second tournament in as many weekends. The 20-team Gabby Mills July 4 Invitational kicks off on Friday morning. The Black Sox open the tournament at noon on Friday against Sanford Post 443.