Eskymos, Braves Compete At 40-Team Tournament

CANTON, Mich.---The Escanaba Eskymos and Gladstone Braves played a lot of softball Saturday and Sunday at the Michigan Softball Challenge in suburban Detroit, which included 40 teams from across the state.

Both the Eskymos and Braves won all three of their games on Saturday, with Gladstone going 1-1 on Sunday and Escanaba losing a pair of one-run games.

SUNDAY GAME 1. Allen Park Jaguars 9, Escanaba Eskymos 8. This was a battle between the top-ranked team in the state in Division One, and the Eskymos, who are ranked third in Division Two. The Eskymos built 7-3 lead as Lizzy Sliva hit a home run and Grayson LaMarche hit a three-run bases clearing double. But the Jaguars put up a big three-run fifth inning on a three-run homer by Avery Garden. The international tiebreaker was put in effect in the seventh inning of a 7-7 tie. LaMarche singled home a run to put Escanaba up, 8-7. But the Jaguars scratched home two runs in the bottom half as both throws from second baseman Paxton Bullen were late to the plate.

SUNDAY GAME 1. Gladstone Braves 13, Royal Oak Ravens 1. Rylee Gerow crushed two home runs and drove in six runs as tbe Braves broke open a 3-1 game with ten runs in the top of the fifth inning. Tia Schone had three hits and drove in three runs, and Addie Trombley had two hits and an RBI. Schone threw all five innings to earn the win. She allowed two hits, both of them to Royal Oak's Jordan Eyster.

SUNDAY GAME 2. Canton Chiefs 3, Escanaba Eskymos 2. Escanaba fell behind 3-0 before making a late rally in the sixth (and final) inning. McKayla Mott put the Eskymos on the board with a two-out solo home run. Anna Boutilier then hit a pop fly that landed for a double, and she scored on a line drive double to left field by Erica Moore. But with the tying run in scoring poistion, Carley Bowden struck out to end the game.

SUNDAY GAME 2. Allen Park JV Jaguars 9, Gladstone Braves 2. The Allen Park "B" team got revenge for Saturday's loss to the Braves by scoring three runs in both the second and fourth innings. Tia Schone had two hits in a losing effort for Gladstone. Montgomery Pepin threw the first four innings and took the loss, allowing six runs (three earned) on four hits. Schone threw the final two innings.

SUNDAY GAME 2. Allen Park JV Jaguars 9, Gladstone Braves 2. The Allen Park "B" team got revenge for Saturday's loss to the Braves by scoring three runs in both the second and fourth innings. Tia Schone had two hits in a losing effort for Gladstone. Montgomery Pepin threw the first four innings and took the loss, allowing six runs (three earned) on four hits. Schone threw the final two innings.

SATURDAY GAME 1: Escanaba Eskymos 15, Carleton-Airport Jets 0. Carsyn Segorski hit three run homer during an eight-run first inning for Escanaba. Grayson LaMarche ended the game in the fourth inning with a two-run home run. Lizzy Sliva, Abby Hill, Paxton Bullen all had two hits. Enily Moore (three innings) and LaMarches (one inning) combined to pitch a no-hitter. The game was mercied after four innings of play.

SATURDAY GAME 1: Gladstone Braves 9, Livonia Churchill Chargers 5. The Braves rallied from 5-0 deficit to score six runs in fifth inning and three more in the sixth. Addie Trombley had a triples, and Tia Schone and Rylee Gerow both had base huits during that rally. The Chargers made six errors. Lauren Sundquist had three hits and scored twice for the Braves. Montgomery Pepin threw all seven innings for a complete game win. She struck out 11 batters.

SATURDAY GAME 2: Escanaba Eskymos 10 Warren Cousino Patriots 0. Lizzy Sliva had a three run homer in the first inning to get the Eskymos going. Grayson LaMarche added another home run and Anna Boutilier had a two run triple. McKayla Mott threw four shutout innings and LaMarche threw the final inning. The Patriots had just one base hit.

SATURDAY GAME 2: Gladstone Braves 5, Allen Park JV Jaguars 1---Tia Schone pitched all five innings to earn the win, as it was called because of the tournament time limit after five innings. She allowed only one base hit, walked five, and struck out five. The Braves put it away with three runs in the fifth inning. Rylee Gerow had an RBI single, Montgomery Pepin doubled in a run, and Reese Herioux brought in another run with a ground ball.

SATURDAY GAME 3: Escanaba Eskymos 6, Anchor Bay Tars 4. The Eskymos rallied from an early 4-0 deficit to win a tight game. Carney Salo had two home runs and Kayla Mott also had a dinger. Mott earned the win in the circle with 4 1/3 innings of relief pitching. Rylee Carraway, Lexi Hoff, Paige Keown, and Olivia Schmaus all had RBI in that first inning for the Tars. Erica Moore aded an RBI single for Escanaba.

SATURDAY GAME 3: Gladstone Braves 11, Port Huron Northern Huskies 1. Gladstone scored three runs in the first inning and added five more in the second to take control of the game. They ended up winning on the mercy rule after six innings. Lauren Sundquist had three hits and drove in three runs for the Braves. Rylee Gerow added two hits and two RBI. Addie Tromnbley and Tia Schone both added two hits in the victory.