BACK AND FORTH: Escanaba Girls On To Jackson

Click the thumbnails to see photos, videos, and listen to post-game comments from Bella Noblet, Kinsley Williams, and Koeller Hayes. Also hear from coaches Brian Parlato and Mike Sanvile, and listen to the radio broadcast of the game.

ESCANABA---"Stressful, overwhelming, exciting".

That's how Escanaba Little League softball center fielder Bella Noblet described the emotions of playing a winner-take-all district championship game against next-door neighbor Gladstone Wednesday night in Escanaba.

In the end, Escanbaa pulled out a 4-3 win that wasn't decided until the final line drive was caught at third base with a Gladstone runner in scoring position. The win moves Escanaba into the state tournament next week in downstate Jackson, where the girls will open up play against another U.P. team, Marquette.

"It was a nerve-racking game, but what do you expect when it's Esky-Gladstone for the right to go downstate?" Escanaba Manager Brian Parlato said. "I couldn't be prouder of her (pitcher, daughter Emma) and Gabby and the other ten girls. It's kind of a dream come true to take this team to the state tournament with two of my daughters on it."

Emma Parlato pitched the whole game, allowing only three base hits. Four walks and one error got her into some trouble, but she was able to completely shut down the potent top four in the Gladstone order. They went a combined 0-for-9 with two walks.

"I told Emma, you're a big-game pitcher, you've just got to believe in yourself," Coach Parlato said. "Her change-up was on tonight. It hasn't been that good all year, but tonight it was really good. We wanted to bust them inside and keep the ball low, get them to beat it into the ground."

Gladstone Coach Mike Sanville says his girls battled to the bitter end.

"It was great game, and it was a great series," he said. "To get three games in a row against the same team, I have to say, I'm so proud of the girls. They wear their hearts out on their sleeves. They have to be so proud of themselves. Both teams did great."

That includes his daughter, Addy, who pitched all three games, winning on Monday but losing on both Tuesday and Wednesday. In the championship game, she gave up seven hits, but only two of the runs against her were earned runs. She struck out eight and walked just one.

"She's on the young end of 12u, and holding it together and pitching three games in a row, I'm proud of that young lady," Sanville said.

Gladstone led, 2-1, in the fifth inning, when Escanaba got three straight base hits to take the lead with a two-out rally. Emma Parlato and Kinsley Williams started the rally with hits, then Noblet came through with a two-run hit to right field to give Escanaba a 3-2 lead.

"Just a lot of confidence, you really need," Noblet said. "Nothing really changed, just a lot of confidence. Definitely overwhelming, with a lot of excitement, too."

Gladstone tied the game at 3-3 in the fifth inning when McKenna Miles got an infield hit, stole second, and scored when #10 hitter Briella Runne came through with a fly ball to right field that landed for a run-scoring single.

"We got some hits from girls who don't have that much experience with softball," Mike Sanville said. "It's great to see them out here playing. Just a great look for the future of Gladstone softball. Put some bats on balls, balls with eyes that found some spots in the grass. And ran the bases, and scored some runs. It was great."

In the bottom of the fifth, Sanville struck out the first two batters she faced, and then Taylor Williams came through with a base hit to keep the inning going. Addisyn McDonough took a very close pitch to draw a key walk, and then #11 hitter Koeller Hayes pushed a base hit to right field to bring in the go-ahead run. What was the mission?

"Just to go out there and try our best," Hayes said. "Just do the best we can."I think it was a fast pitch. Very excited."

Then it came down to great defense again for Escanaba, when Gladstone's #12 hitter, Londyn Koski, drew a lead-off walk. Parlato got a called third strike on Molly Matthews after falling behind in the count, 3-0. Then Addy Sanville and Tiahana Reynolds both hit line drives that Williams caught at third base to end the game with an Escanaba celebration.

"Just how the coaches taught me, to wait for the ball, and just watch it into your glove," Williams said. "I just thought of catching it, to not let the team down."

And so now Escanaba heads to Jackson, where the luck of the draw for the 16-team tournament sees the girls open pool play against another Upper Peninsula team: Marquette, which beat Negaunee, 6-4, to win its district championship Tuesday night.

The game starts at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 8, and will be broadcast on FM-93.5 and AM-600 in Escanaba, FM-99.5 in Marquette, and at rrnsports.com on-line.

NEXT OPPONENT: MARQUETTE AT STATES