ESCANABA---The Escanaba Eskymos and Gladstone Braves always hook up in tight, intense battles when the two teams meet on the softball diamond.
And Tuesday's doubleheader was no exception, as both games were close heading into the final innings.
But the Eskymos made too many mistakes and the Braves took full advantage of most of them, posting 4-1 and 6-2 victories in a doubleheader sweep at Lemmerand Park.
Escanaba made ten errors in the doubleheader (five in each game), and they led to four of Gladstone's ten runs being unearned.
The Braves also hit well behind those errors, and used the pitching of Tinner Sharon and Alison Austin to earn the doubleheader sweep.
In the opener, Escanaba took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Emily Bogauto got a one-out single and went to second on a Bri Belanger bunt.
Becca Piron came through with the two-out RBI single to give the Eskymos the lead in, believe it or not, the girls' home-opener (after many cancellations).
The Braves had the answer in the fourth inning when Austin walked and scored on a Sadie Strasser single.
The game was tied at 1-1 when Escanaba had a chance to score against Sharon in the fifth inning. Ashley Cook led off with a double, and then moved to third on a Callie Heller bunt.
With one out, Syd Gafner also bunted, but popped it up. Sharon raced toward the foul line and caught it, running over catcher Morgan Kowalski in the process. Kowalski was down for a moment, and needed to "walk it off".
She stayed in the game.
The next batter, Codi Jenshak, struck out, to end the inning. It was still 1-1 in the sixth inning when the Braves grabbed the lead. With one out, Grace Zimmermann singled.
That's when Strasser ripped one down the left field line for a hit. Gafner had trouble getting control of the ball in the corner, and Zimmermann came around to score.
The 2-1 lead held up after Sharon retired the Eskymos 1-2-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning. Then in the top of the seventh, Gladstone scored two more runs as the Eskymos committed two errors. The runs came in on a sacrafice bunt by Ashley Berthaume and on a sacrafice fly by Austin. Gladstone outhit Escanaba, 8-4, in the 4-1 win.
Sharon allowed four hits, struck out three, and did not issue a walk during the victory.
Jayme Frappier pitched all seven innings for Escanaba, and took the loss, allowing four runs (two earned) on eight hits. Frappier fanned three and walked one batter.
In the second game, both teams had two runners on base in the first inning but failed to score.
The game stayed scoreless into the fourth inning before the Braves got the upper hand.
Jess Beaudry got a one-out double, moved to third on a Kowalski hit, and then scored on an Austin shot that was snared by Piron for a 6-3 putout. Escanaba tied the game in the bottom of the inning when Jenshak walked and then she went to second when Bogaudo ripped one up the right-center-field that Strasser tracked down.
Belanger smacked an RBI single to score Jenshak with the tying run.
With the game tied at 1-1 in the fifth inning, the Braves put on a hitting display against Jenshak, who had held the Braves to just three hits in the first four innings. Mikayla Depuydt got things started with a double, then with two out, Strasser, Lexi Hongisto, and Beaudry all had sharply-hit RBI base hits.
Gladstone took a 4-1 lead.
Escanaba closed to within 4-2 in the sixth inning as Belanger got her second RBI hit of the game.
But the Eskymos would get no more runs off of Austin, who pitched a complete-game five-hitter for the Braves. Gladstone added two unearned runs in the seventh inning as the Escanaba defense had issues.
Gladstone's Beaudry had three hits in the game after sitting out the opener. Kowalski had two hits, and Strasser and Hongisto each had doubles.
For Escanaba, Jenshak took the loss in the circle, throwing five innings before Frappier pitched the final two innings.
Escanaba (5-4) will be busy later this week, with eight games in three games.
The girls will face Pulaski (Wis.) in a doubleheader on Thursday, starting at 5:00.
The Eskymos will then host the Cheboygan Chiefs in a doubleheader on Friday, starting at 4:00.
And on Saturday, the Eskymos will host the Escanaba Lions Invitational Saturday. In that event, the Eskymos will play four games: against Sault Ste. Marie at 10:00, Rapid River at noon, Marquette at 2:00, and Neenah, Wis., at 4:00.
Gladstone (17-1) will play three games Saturday at a tournament in downstate Tawas.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see more photos and videos, and to listen to post-game interviews and radio highlights from the games. Thanks to Mike Dagenais for doing the videos and photos.
And Tuesday's doubleheader was no exception, as both games were close heading into the final innings.
Escanaba made ten errors in the doubleheader (five in each game), and they led to four of Gladstone's ten runs being unearned.
The Braves also hit well behind those errors, and used the pitching of Tinner Sharon and Alison Austin to earn the doubleheader sweep.
In the opener, Escanaba took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Emily Bogauto got a one-out single and went to second on a Bri Belanger bunt.
Becca Piron RBI hit in Game One.
The Braves had the answer in the fourth inning when Austin walked and scored on a Sadie Strasser single.
With one out, Syd Gafner also bunted, but popped it up. Sharon raced toward the foul line and caught it, running over catcher Morgan Kowalski in the process. Kowalski was down for a moment, and needed to "walk it off".
She stayed in the game.
The next batter, Codi Jenshak, struck out, to end the inning. It was still 1-1 in the sixth inning when the Braves grabbed the lead. With one out, Grace Zimmermann singled.
Sadie Strasser drives home Grace Zimmerman.
The 2-1 lead held up after Sharon retired the Eskymos 1-2-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning. Then in the top of the seventh, Gladstone scored two more runs as the Eskymos committed two errors. The runs came in on a sacrafice bunt by Ashley Berthaume and on a sacrafice fly by Austin. Gladstone outhit Escanaba, 8-4, in the 4-1 win.
Jayme Frappier pitched all seven innings for Escanaba, and took the loss, allowing four runs (two earned) on eight hits. Frappier fanned three and walked one batter.
In the second game, both teams had two runners on base in the first inning but failed to score.
The game stayed scoreless into the fourth inning before the Braves got the upper hand.
Jess Beaudry got a one-out double, moved to third on a Kowalski hit, and then scored on an Austin shot that was snared by Piron for a 6-3 putout. Escanaba tied the game in the bottom of the inning when Jenshak walked and then she went to second when Bogaudo ripped one up the right-center-field that Strasser tracked down.
Tinner Sharon and Morgan Kowalski collide.
With the game tied at 1-1 in the fifth inning, the Braves put on a hitting display against Jenshak, who had held the Braves to just three hits in the first four innings. Mikayla Depuydt got things started with a double, then with two out, Strasser, Lexi Hongisto, and Beaudry all had sharply-hit RBI base hits.
Gladstone took a 4-1 lead.
But the Eskymos would get no more runs off of Austin, who pitched a complete-game five-hitter for the Braves. Gladstone added two unearned runs in the seventh inning as the Escanaba defense had issues.
Gladstone's Beaudry had three hits in the game after sitting out the opener. Kowalski had two hits, and Strasser and Hongisto each had doubles.
For Escanaba, Jenshak took the loss in the circle, throwing five innings before Frappier pitched the final two innings.
Escanaba (5-4) will be busy later this week, with eight games in three games.
The girls will face Pulaski (Wis.) in a doubleheader on Thursday, starting at 5:00.
Sadie Strasser post-game comments.
And on Saturday, the Eskymos will host the Escanaba Lions Invitational Saturday. In that event, the Eskymos will play four games: against Sault Ste. Marie at 10:00, Rapid River at noon, Marquette at 2:00, and Neenah, Wis., at 4:00.
Gladstone (17-1) will play three games Saturday at a tournament in downstate Tawas.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see more photos and videos, and to listen to post-game interviews and radio highlights from the games. Thanks to Mike Dagenais for doing the videos and photos.
