Sandstone, Carlton win playoff openers

Top seeded Sandstone downed No. 4 Barre/Elba 14-11 and No. 3 Carlton defeated No. 2 Rotary 8-2 Saturday in the opening round of the Albion Midget League playoffs.

Sandstone will now host Carlton and Rotary will take on Barre/Elba at the Midget League Feld in the next round at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Sandstone took the lead for good by scoring five runs in the second inning highlighted by a grand slam home run by Elliot Trapiss.

A two-run double by Jonah Elsenheimer and a solo homer by Trapiss then keyed a four-run fourth inning which also included singles by Omer Fugate and Brayden LaMartina.

Sandstone capped off the win by scoring three times in the fifth frame on a triple by Drew Pritchard and doubles by LaMartina and Elsenheimer.

Trapiss, who also registered 15 strikeouts on the mound, finished with two hits as did LaMartina and Elsenheimer.

For Barre/Elba, Bing Zuber had a two-run single in the third inning and a three-run triple which highlighted a six run sixth inning.

Carlton broke open a tight 3-2 game by erupting for five runs in the sixth inning highlighted by a three-run home run by Colin McMullen who also notched 10 strikeouts on the mound.

Earlier, Carlton scored twice in the second inning as Gavin Boyce had a key double.

Rotary also scored twice in the second on a double by Liam Leader.

Boyce finished with four hits and Noah Kowalski three.