Click the thumbnails to see photos taken by Gina Pepin and videos taken by Amy Sundquist. Click the AUDIO buttons to hear post-game comments from seniors Samara Sanville and Lu Martinez, and from Manager Rick Pepin.

GAYLORD---The Gladstone Braves probably don't want to hear the name “Standish-Sterling Panthers” again any time soon.

After the Braves baseball team lost a two-run lead in the final inning on Saturday to lose to the Panthers in the MHSAA Division Three state quarterfinals, the Braves and SSCHS Panthers met again in a softball quarterfinal Tuesday in Gaylord.

And just like the baseball game, this one went down to the wire. And just like the baseball game, the Standish-Sterling girls scored late to beat the Braves and earn a trip to the state finals weekend at Michigan State University.

Tuesday's softball game was a thriller, with the Panthers scoring two runs in the top of the ninth inning to end the Braves' season, 3-1.

It was a pitcher's dual between Gladstone's Tia Schone and Stanidsh-Sterling's Devri Jennings. Schone worked out of jams in every single inning, while Jennings seemed to get stronger as the game went on. But the Braves still came within inches of getting a walk-off base hit against Jennings in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Schone was able to work out of multiple jams, stranding eleven Panthers runners on the bases, and getting help from the defense as catcher Lauren Sundquist tagged a runner out at the plate in the third inning and then throwing out a runner trying to steal third on the next play.

The Panthers took a 1-0 lead earlier that inning when Kelsey Peace doubled and scored on a grounder by Macey Fagen.

Gladstone tied it in the bottom of the third when Sundquist got a one-out double, got bunted to third by Addie Trombley, and then scoring when Schone's pop up on the infield was dropped. That would be the only run of the game for a long time.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Sammy Drielick made a bid for extra bases, but was robbed by Fegan in center field when she made a sweet catch at the top of the grass top.

The Panthers got hits from Lexi Mielke and Fagen in the top of the fifth inning, but Schone got Jeffries to pop up a bunt attempt and Jaylynn Yenna grounded out to end the inning.

The Braves had a chance to take the lead with a two-out rally in the bottom of the fifth inning when Sundquist and Trombley both singled. But with runners at the corners, Schone swung at the first pitch and flew out to Fagen in center field to end the threat.

Gladstone had a chance to win the game in the bottom of the seventh inning. With one out, Samara Sanville went through a long at-bat with multiple foul balls and was able to get a base hit to center field. Lu Martinez bunted her to second base, bringing Sundquist to the plate looking for her third hit and a walk-off winner.

The Panthers chose to intentionally walk Sundquist, and that gave Trombley a chance to be the hero. She almost did, as she hit a flare to right field, but SSCHS second baseman Addi Fetters made a running catch in right field. No walk-off. On to extra innings.

In the eighth inning, Fetters got a one-out double, but the Panthers again couldn't get a bunt down, and we went to the bottom of the eighth. The Braves went out 1-2-3, however, sending the game to a ninth inning.

In the top of the inning, Peace smacked a one-hopper that went off Trombley's chest at shortstop for a single. With two out, Fegan singled, putting runners at the corners. And that brought up Jennings, who had no hits all night long in the #4 hole.

She came through in the clutch, smacking one down the right field line, bringing in two runs and giving the Panthers a 3-1 lead. Then Jennings retired the Braves in order in the bottom of the ninth, ending the Gladstone season.

Jennings ended up striking out twelve batters in nine innings of work, and she got all six batters she faced in extra innings. Jennings did not allow an earned run.

Schone nearly matched her. She wound up with nine strikeouts, but the potent Panthers lineup wound up with eleven hits. Schone walked only three batters, and threw 140 pitches.

Standish-Sterling improved to 36-7 on the season as the Panthers advance to the state semifinals. Gladstone finished its season with a 24-9 record.

The Braves return most of their line-up next season, saying goodbye to two seniors: Sanville and Martinez.

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