SWEET REVENGE: Eskymos Mercy Gaylord, 10-0

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ALMA---It’s been three years since the “shot heard around the softball world”, that is, Carsyn Segorski’s dramatic last-inning home run that sent the Escanaba Eskymos past the Gaylord Blue Devils and eventually, to the state semifinals at Michigan State University.

Since that time, the Escanaba-Gaylord rivalry has swung dramatically in the other direction.

In 2023, there was that humiliating 13-1 loss in which the Eskymos made eight errors and future University of Michigan pitcher Grayson LaMarche was badly outdone by Gaylord’s Aubrey Jones, who will be pitching at Oklahoma State University.

Then last year, Gaylord whipped the Eskymos again, 12-2, in rain-drenched Cadillac, with Jones doing it in the circle and at the plate. The Blue Devils went on to win the state championship in both of those years, and the Eskymos were left in sadness.

What exactly is it that they say about paybacks?

The Eskymos got theres this Saturday in the regional championship game at Alma College, with an impressive 10-0 victory that sends Escanaba into the state quarterfinals, and ending Gaylord’s state championship reign with an exclamation point.

“This is two years in the making,” Eskymo Manager Andy Fields said. “This is two years of heartache. This is two years of our season ending earlier than we wanted it to. These girls, most of them were there for that. That heartache. The tears. It kind of all showed out here today.”

“I think last year, we were overthinking a lot of stuff,” LaMarche said. “We didn’t just play our game half the time, I think this year, we were ready to play. It’s a great feeling. It was a great win for all of us. We wanted this game super bad. And we just played good.”

In the first inning, LaMarche hit Kennedy Wangler with a pitch, and then Fields decided to intentionally walk Jones to avoid a repeat of last year’s first inning. It worked as LaMarche struck out the next two batters.

Gaylord elected not to pitch Jones against the Eskymos. She threw a shutout in a 1-0 win over Muskegon Oakridge in the semifinals, but against the Eskymos, she was at shortstop and Nora Bethuy pitched.

“They had a really good defense last year, and I knew that was their weakness this year,” Fields said. “Having Aubrey on the mound only hurt their defense. They needed her at shortstop. But you can’t give our hitters just average pitching. Our lineup is so balanced. You can try to go after one, but the next one coming up, she’s going to do something.”

In the bottom of the inning, the Eskymos jumped in front. Chloe Dubord got a one-out single and Katey Lamb ripped one to left field for another hit, putting runners on second and third. Fields told Carly Bowden to show bunt, and when she did, the Gaylord infielders all played in.

Next pitch? Bowden smoked a line drive into the left field corner for a two-run double, giving the Eskymos a 2-0 lead and huge momentum.

“We have the motto: push the rock,” first baseman McKenzie Engebretsen said. “She started us off, and after that, we knew we were going to be hot the rest of the game. It was just about keeping our energy up and keep the game going.”

Then in the third inning, Escanaba had two out and nobody on when Clara Braun kept the inning going with a base hit on a 3-2 pitch. That set off an inning that you had to see to believe.

LaMarche followed with a base hit, then Dubord drew a walk. A wild pitch brought home Braun to make it 3-0, then Lamb ripped a line drive to right field to bring home two runs. It was 5-0, and the girls were just getting started.

Bowden drew a walk and then McKenzie Engebretsen’s base hit brought home Lamb to make it 6-0. Harlee Coolman followed with a hit to bring home another run. And then Maddy Mott hit one over the third base bag down the left field line to score two more runs. 9-0 Eskymos.

“I feel amazing,” said Mott, who’s older sister suffered a mercy-rule loss to Gaylord. “It’s just really a good feeling for my first year playing shortstop to come out and win that big game. It’s wonderful that it’s coming to an end. I want to make it to MSU.”

“I feel fantastic because this has been our goal the entire year,” Engebretsen said. “We knew we had to be ready for them like we haven’t been in the past. We came out firing. We prepared for them since the start. My goal is always just to hit the ball hard. Put it in play and make their infielders and outfielders make plays. I’m glad that everything that we prepared for is moving on to the next game.”

Gaylord (24-8, ranked #3 in Division Two) had one last chance. Bethuy got a one-out single in the fifth inning and then LaMarche hit both Wangler and Jones with pitches. That angered Gaylord Coach Ron Moeggenberg, who thought it was intentional. Fields says it wasn’t.

“If I was throwing at her, I wouldn’t wait six pitches to do it,” he said.

LaMarche preserved her shutout by striking out the next two batters, stranding the bases loaded, and keeping the Eskymos in a 9-0 lead.

In the bottom of the inning, LaMarche led off with a double, Dubord bunted her to third, and Lamb lifted a pop fly just over the second baseman’s head for a base hit. Game. Set. Match. Eskymo walk-off.

Escanaba (39-4, ranked #1 in Division Two) advances to the state quarterfinals to face the Hudsonville Unity Christian Crusaders on Tuesday. The Crusaders are 35-4 on the season. Game time is 1:00 from the Central Michigan University campus.

The game will be broadcast live on FM-93.5, AM-600, and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.