Escanaba Senior Girls Pound Out 38 Runs, 40 Hits

 

But the girls got the wake-up call and rolled to a 15-6 win over DesMoines, Iowa, and then they dominated Indianapolis District Seven, 23-1, in a mercy-shortened game.

Against Iowa, the girls struggled at the plate early and made a few mistakes that saw them trailing, 3-1. But Escanaba scored eight runs in the fourth inning to take control.

"I think it was just nerves," Escanaba catcher Taylor Segorski said. "A lot of errors that we shouldn't have made. It was good to get that out in the first game."

"We got off to a slow start and part of it was on me," said Escanaba Manager Andy Fields, who is filling for Jamie Segorski, who is coaching the 10-11 girls team at its state tournament in Negaunee. "First time managing, I'll admit that I was a little nervous. I think the girls sensed that a little bit. Once we got going, we got going."

DesMoines took a 2-1 lead in the first inning when pitcher Katie Ross hit two batters with pitches and an error at third base scored both runs.

But in the fourth inning, Escanaba's bats exploded.

Claire McInerney had a two-run single to put Escanaba ahead, 4-3, and then the girls caught a break when Ross's ground ball was missplayed at first, allowing two runs to score.

Then Segorski clubbed a three-run homer to make it a 9-3 game.

"Swing the bat, hit the ball," Segorski laughed. "Sometimes it goes, sometimes it doesn't. It's definitely exciting, at this level. I haven't hit many, so I guess I'm not familiar with the feeling! It's really exciting."

The Grandview Little League All-Stars scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to close to within 9-6 on a couple of hits and a pair of Escanaba errors.

Besides those two hits, the Iowa State Champions managed only one other base hit off of Ross.

Escanaba went ahead, 10-6, in the fifth inning on a Maddie Kolich base hit. She then drove in two more runs in the sixth inning as Escanaba pulled away, 15-6. Kolich, batting in the #9 spot, went 4-for-4. She also had two hits against Indianapolis.

"I guess I like it because you have no pressure at all," Kolich said about batting ninth. "I was there in high school, and they moved me up for travel and I didn't like it."

Gauthier also had four hits: two doubles and two singles. Escanaba had 18 hits.

Ross threw all seven innings, allowing three hits and struck out nine batters.

In the second game, the Indiana state champions were overmatched from the start.

The Escanaba girls scored nine runs in the first inning, sending 14 batters to the plate. The Esky girls then scored 12 more runs in the third inning, sending 16 girls to the plate.

In the final two innings, Escanaba purposely got outs to be respectful to the Indiana girls. Escanaba ended up with 22 hits in that game, with Ross getting a single, double, and three-run homer. Hiney had three hits, drove in three runs, and scored four times.

"That's probably one of the farthest (home runs) that I've ever hit," Ross said with a smile.

Wisler had three hits and drove in five runs. Kolich, McInerney, and Gauthier all had two base hits. Ross pitched the first inning, then Wisler threw the final four innings.

"I felt good, once I got warmed up and loose,"" Wisler said. "I started the first game a little slow. And then I really just thought of everything that Coach Segorski said to me this past season, and just got into the game."

The Escanaba girls have a big challenge on Saturday. They will play the South Bend District Eleven girls, who have won the Senior League World Series in each of the past two years.

"The South Bend team, this is what we came down here for," Fields said. "We want to see what we have against the best. That's what we want to do."

Game time is set for 11:00 Saturday morning.

It will be broadcast live on WGKL-FM (105.5), and on the Internet at www.rrnsports.com.


Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos and videos from Friday's games, and listen to post-game radio interviews with several players and Coach Fields.