The West Jacksonport Ports put the game out of reach early and put it away late to beat the Institute Cubs 19-7 in eight innings Friday night.
The Ports sent eight men to the plate in the first inning, but starting pitcher Jake Pflieger limited the damage to RBIs by Riley Cordier and Jaeger Brusky to make it 2-0. Pflieger was not as lucky in the second inning as he walked five and was victimized by two errors that led to the Ports scoring 10 runs on just four hits. Derek Niedzwiecki delivered the innings biggest blow with a bases-loaded double. The Ports would score twice more before the Cubs would finally get on the scoreboard in the fourth inning.
In that frame, the Cubs took advantage of three walks and three hit batsmen to score six runs, capitalized by RBI singles by Quin Schram and Kyle Ploor that drove in three of the six runs.
Drew Tanck's double would get one of those runs back in the fifth inning only to be matched by the Cubs' Brent Haberli who singled before stealing second and scoring on an errant throw.
With the score now 15-7, the Ports would bat around in the top of the seventh inning, collecting five hits and scoring four runs. The Cubs were set down in order in the bottom of the eighth inning to end the game early. The Cubs remain winless on the year while the Ports remain very much in the playoff picture.
The other games scheduled for this weekend include Washington Island hosting Sister Bay, Egg Harbor traveling to Kolberg, and Baileys Harbor making its way to Maplewood. Tim Kowols and Gary Barta will have the call from Washington Island beginning at 1:15 p.m. with the pregame show followed by the first pitch at 1:30 p.m. on 105.1 The GOAT.
