COMEBACK COMPLETE: Esky Girls Win Districts

ESCANABA---The Escanaba Minor Little League All-Stars (age 9-10) won their third straight loser's bracket game Thursday night and captured the District Ten championship, 5-1, over Norway. The win was Escanaba's second straight over Norway after an earlier loss, sending the Orange and Black to the state tournament in Marysville.

Landry Bray pitched a complete game for Escanaba, allowing just one hit and striking out 12 batters. But she had to get out of a bases loaded jam on two different occasions thanks to seven walks and a bit-battsman.

Norway’s only run scored on a bases loaded walk to Myah Gilroy in the fifth inning.

Norway stranded nine baserunners altogether.

Escanaba continued to use aggressive base running to move along the runners that they were able to get against Norway pitcher Jolie Seidel.

They scored a run in the first inning, then added two more in the third inning as Chloe DuBord bunted successfully and scored on a wild pitch, and Breleigh reinhart drew a walk and kept running to second base, then she kept running all the way home as the throw got away.

Norway closed to within 3-1 in the fourth inning but Bray was able to overcome three walks by getting a pop up with the bases loaded to end the inning.

Then in the fifth inning, Seidel laced a one-out triple to the outfield fence, and two walks loaded the bases. Bray got Anna Debidart to hit a line drive to Janessa Platt to end the threat.

Escanaba scored two more runs in the bottom of the fifth, with Reinhart bringing in one of them.

Seidel took the loss, allowing four hits altogether and striking out nine batters.

Bray fanned 12 batters for Escanaba, which advances to the state tournament in downstate Marysville on July 26.

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