GLADSTONE---The Gladstone High School softball team is one of the best teams in the entire state, but the Manistique Emeralds were not afraid as the MHSAA Division Three district tournament began Tuesday afternoon in Gladstone.
The Emeralds went toe-to-toe with the Braves for three innings before the wheels fell off in the fourth inning and Gladstone posted a 10-0 victory. The Braves later whipped the Pickford-Cedarville team, 18-0, to advance to Saturday's championship game.
Manistique threatened in the bottom of the first inning, as Tinner Sharon had trouble throwing strikes and the Emerald girls fouled off numerous pitches. The Emeralds had the bases loaded with two out, but Sharon managed to get Bree Richer to pop up.
Sharon was replaced in the circle by Alison Austin in the second inning.
Austin's RBI single put Gladstone in front in the second inning, but the Braves could not shake the Emeralds, heading into the fourth inning. But that inning would be a long one for the Emeralds, as Gladstone batted around and scored nine runs.
An Austin ground ball scored Jess Beaudry with the inning's first run, then Morgan Kowalski put down a nice bunt to score Lexi Hongisto to make it 3-0.
Later, Grace Zimmermann singled to bring home courtesy runner Alexis St. Cyr, and Lauren Parrent's ground ball drove home Zimmermann to give the Braves a 5-0 lead.
The inning was far from over.
Sadie Strasser singled home Sharon to make it 6-0, and then Jordan Kowalski's pop fly to right scored another run. Another pop fly single, this one by Beaudry, brought home another run to make it an 8-0 game.
Then Hongisto got ahold of a pitch and cranked it over the left field fence for a two-run homer, making it 10-0.
Gladstone (25-1) then scored 15 runs in the first two innings of their next game against the combined Pickford/Cedarville team to win by the mercy rule, 18-0.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos and videos from the game. See all of Tuesday's scores in the box below.
Sadie Strasser with the catch in center.
Manistique threatened in the bottom of the first inning, as Tinner Sharon had trouble throwing strikes and the Emerald girls fouled off numerous pitches. The Emeralds had the bases loaded with two out, but Sharon managed to get Bree Richer to pop up.
Sharon was replaced in the circle by Alison Austin in the second inning.
Austin's RBI single put Gladstone in front in the second inning, but the Braves could not shake the Emeralds, heading into the fourth inning. But that inning would be a long one for the Emeralds, as Gladstone batted around and scored nine runs.
Morgan Kowalski RBI bunt single.
Later, Grace Zimmermann singled to bring home courtesy runner Alexis St. Cyr, and Lauren Parrent's ground ball drove home Zimmermann to give the Braves a 5-0 lead.
Tinner Sharon runs off of third base.
Sadie Strasser singled home Sharon to make it 6-0, and then Jordan Kowalski's pop fly to right scored another run. Another pop fly single, this one by Beaudry, brought home another run to make it an 8-0 game.
Then Hongisto got ahold of a pitch and cranked it over the left field fence for a two-run homer, making it 10-0.
Gladstone (25-1) then scored 15 runs in the first two innings of their next game against the combined Pickford/Cedarville team to win by the mercy rule, 18-0.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos and videos from the game. See all of Tuesday's scores in the box below.
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Tuesday's Girls Softball District Scorebord Division 2 at Cheboygan Escanaba at Cheboygan, ppd. rain, until Friday 4:15 Division 3 at Gladstone Gladstone 10, Manistique 0 Pickford-Cedarville 15, Gwinn 5 Houghton 9, Westwood 5 Gladstone 18, Pickford-Cedarville 0 Division 4 at Norway Rapid River 11, Munising 1 Norway 11, Stephenson 1 Ironwood 17, Hancock 2 Ishpeming 7, Superior Central 2 |
