Onekama’s Joe Eno hit a home run in Saturday’s
district final loss to Frankfort. (Michelle Graves/News Advocate)
ONEKAMA — For the first time in six seasons, the Division
4 district baseball tournament was not held in Frankfort.
On Saturday in Onekama, however, the Panthers proved the
road to the title still goes through them.
Division 4 No. 11 Frankfort (20-5) won a 7-0 semifinal
over Manistee Catholic Central before edging the hosting Portagers 5-2
for its sixth straight district championship.
Onekama (20-11) took the reigning champions to the wire,
loading the bases in the top of the seventh, but falling short in its
attempt to rally. |
“That was our time to get that big hit, but they made
some good defensive plays when we put the ball in play,” said Onekama
coach John Neph. “I told the players a couple plays here, a couple plays
there, it’s a different district champion.”
Frankfort plated a pair of runs in the first, one in the
second, and two in the fourth. The Portagers’ Jon Eno scored from third
on a double steal in the second, while older brother Joe homered in the
sixth as part of a three-hit performance.
Onekama’s Dallas Hearit took the loss in a five-inning
start before being relieved by Joe Eno.
“I thought we were very, very competitive with very good
team,” Neph said. “A couple plays would have made the difference, and
from my perspective, we were right there the whole game.”
Posted by Manistee News Advocate staff |