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The Blazers were originally scheduled to play two with the Bears, but the second game was rained out.

Kalkaska took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Craig Miller singled, moved to second on a walk to Tinkle and scored on Kevin Zattlin's single.

But the Bears scored three runs in the top of the third off starting pitcher Travis Schuba to take a 3-1 lead.

Tyler Perrin opened the Blazers' half of the fourth when he reached base on a fielding error, and Blake Gruse drew a walk.

Grayson Myas also reached on an error to load the bases.

One run was forced home when Miller worked his way on with a walk and collected a run batted in.

Schuba drove in another when he was hit by a pitch with the bases still loaded, and Tinkle singled in two more runs.

Buckley cut the Blazers' lead to 6-5 with a run in the top of the sixth, but Kalkaska added an insurance run in the bottom of the inning.

Miller was safe on an error, and stole second. Schuba singled him in, and Tinkle walked before the Bears got out of the inning without further damage.

Tinkle, Schuba and Zattlin each drove in two runs, while Gruse had one RBI. Schuba, Miller, Tinkle, Zattlin and Andrew Higgins had one hit apiece.

Despite experiencing some control problems with five walks, Schuba pitched all six innings and gave up four runs on six hits. He struck out 10 of the 25 batters he faced.

"It was the typical first game of the season ... cold and rain," Blazers' coach William VanderGriff said. "It was a sloppily played game.

"The bright spot was Schuba stepped up when needed, and good at-bats by Tinkle. We also had some good defensive play by Zattlin behind the plate."

Schuba's walks concerned VanderGriff.

"I was a little upset with the walks," he said. "I really try to drill into the kids' heads that at least six of seven times you walk somebody, they're going to score on you.

"What was it the other night? The (Detroit) Tigers walked nine batters, and seven of them scored.

"Schuba finally buckled down, though, and had a couple of strike outs."

Kalkaska was scheduled to play a doubleheader with Petoskey on Monday in its final tune-up before they opened the Lake Michigan Conference season on Tuesday. Ê