Onekama Baseball Team: Spring 2006

By GREG GIELCZYK, Sports Editor

ONEKAMA – Onekama remained in a first place tie with Brethren in the Western Michigan D League baseball race by sweeping a doubleheader over Bear Lake on Thursday, 10-6 and 5-2.

Brethren took a pair from Baldwin, leaving the Bobcats and Portagers deadlocked at 5-1 in the conference. Onekama bumped its overall record up to 9-1.

Dave Gillespie was the winning pitcher for Onekama in the first game.

Gillespie helped himself out at the plate, slapping out three base hits.

Matt Fredericks and Nate Griswold had two hits each, while Tayler Fraly ripped a triple to lead Onekama.

Donovan Alkire went 3-for-3, with one run batted in and a stolen base to lead Bear Lake.

J.J. Randall finished the game with two hits and had four stolen bases. Jacob Zalud went 2-for-3 with a double.

Randall and Zach Teachout pitched for the Lakers in the first game, and combined to allow Onekama nine hits.

Onekama took a 2-1 lead at the end of the first inning. The Portagers exploded for four runs in the bottom of the second, and extended their lead to 7-1.

Bear Lake scored its final run in the top of the third. Onekama answered with a five-run third inning of its own, and then added three more in the fifth to close the game out.

"The Lakers really hit the ball well all day," Onekama coach John Neph said. "We had to battle for every out. It was a back-and-forth game. We got into a couple of jams, but our defense made some key plays, and Gillespie just pitched really well."

In the second game, pitcher Lance Osborn had his best outing of the season, giving up two runs, with three strike outs.

"We fielded well enough behind him," said Neph. "I thought his giving up only two runs a key to the win, along with the double play from Joey Mitchell to Matt Fredericks that ended a big rally. Joey has made some great plays defensively. Trevor Miller, our catcher, is a real battler and probably one of the hardest working kids we have the team, especially since it’s his first year."

For Onekama, Gillespie had 4 hits, Trevor Miller 2, and Justin Sedelmaier 2.

For Bear Lake, Logan Mezeske had 1 hit and 1 rbi, Smith was 1-3 with a triple. Donald James had 1 hit and 1 steal. Smith pitched the second game for Bear Lake, with 4 strike outs and gave up eight hits.

"I was very happy," said Bear Lake coach Garret Waller. "They hung right in there with a good conference team. We’re about 4 errors away from being a good team – once we get that figured out, and mentally focused into these games, we’ll be right there."

Onekama’s next game will be Monday at Traverse City Christian for a non-league doubleheader.

Bear Lake will meet Hart Lakeshore Academy in an away game on Monday.