Team Of Destiny? Clinton Wins Softball State Title

NEW BOSTON, Mich.---Sometimes, your opponent has so much momentum that no matter what you do, you can't stop the wave. That may have been part of it for the Escanaba Senior Little League All-Stars (age 15-16) as they lost to Clinton, 4-2, in the state championship game on Sunday in the Detroit suburb of New Boston.

Clinton was within one out of being mercied, 12-2, in the state semifinals on Saturday.

But the District 16 champions pulled a miracle comeback, scoring eleven runs on their final four outs to beat Edwardsburg, 13-12.

Incredible, indeed.

Did that momentum carry Clinton past the Eskymos on Sunday? Maybe Clinton was a Team of Destiny? Or was it simply a strong pitcher and good hitting that led to Sunday's result?

Either way, Escanaba Manager Jamie Segorski was impressed.

"That is a real good softball team," Segorski said. "They are one of the best hitting teams I have ever seen. One through nine. They put the bat on the ball."

Escanaba was undefeated in this tournament, with a 4-0 record, and an 11-7 win over Clinton in the pool play game on Friday.

But Escanaba did not face Clinton ace Megan Burton during that game, and the District 16 champs made seven errors in that game.

This time, Clinton never came close to making an error, and Burton was tough in the circle. She allowed just four base hits, and walked only one batter.

"Their pitcher had us a little off-balance," Segorski said. "She's a big lefty. Throws the ball hard. And she moves it so well. She has that nice 'drop ball'. She's a good pitcher. She led their varsity high school team to the state semifinals. She's fantastic."

Escanaba actually took a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Emily Bruntjens singled, stole second, went to third on a ground out, and scored on a wild pitch.

But Katie Ross had trouble getting that first-pitch strike in the early innings, and Clinton took advantage.

Clinton got RBI singles from Riley Woerner and Sam Marlatt in the second inning, and things would have been much worse had Escanaba third baseman Aubree Saunders not caught a Catlyn Schuler line drive for a 5-3 double play in that inning.

Saunders turned in an excellent performance on Sunday, one day after suffering a painful hamstring injury in the semifinals. She caught two more line drives in the game after that double play, nearly caught a third, and made three more putouts.

"Aubree played great today," Segorski said. "It hurt us that we couldn't bat her because she had been hitting the ball so well this weekend. But she couldn't run to first base. "

"But we were so tight on players (just ten on the trip). She did a great job. I can't say enough for how well she played today."

"It kind of hurts to run, but I tried through because this was a game that I really wanted to win," Saunders said. "They hit the ball hard. Some of them I got, some of them I didn't. But I tried my best. They're a good team. I wish them luck in regionals."

Meanwhile, catcher Taylor Segorski had to make numerous stops of pitches in the dirt, and some high and others outside, as Ross tried to find her groove in the circle.

"That was one of the best games that she's ever caught," said Jamie Segorski, Taylor's coach and dad. "She was up for it. She was ready. They ran one time and we took her by five steps. She gave up one stolen base in five games. A great tournament."

Clinton scored two unearned runs in the third inning to take a 4-1 lead.

And despite having runners on base against her in scoring position in every inning, Ross was able to battle through it and put up zeros in each of the last four innings of the game.

The problem is, Escanaba had a hard time hitting Burton, getting just five baserunners in the entire game. Escanaba managed to get a run in the third inning when Emily LaFave led off with a single and stole second. She went to third on a groundout, and scored on a base hit by Mackenzie Leisner. It was a 4-2 game.

But Escanaba would get just two more baserunners the rest of the game. Leisner had a one-out single in the sixth inning, but the next two girls bounced out.

In the seventh, JJ Laviolette drew a two-out walk. But LaFave struck out to end the Eskymo season.

CLINTON 13, EDWARDSBURG 12---An incredible finish to the state semifinal game on Saturday will be remembered for a long time across Michigan. The District 15 Champions, Edwardsburg, rolled to a 12-2 lead over District 16 Clinton.

Edwardsburg's Rebecca Feirick hit three home runs...all of them two-run shots...to put the southwest Michigan team in front. Clinton was about to mercied on the ten-run rule with two out in the sixth inning.

But the Redskins put together a huge two-out rally, scoring seven times, to close the gap to within 12-9 entering the final inning.

With the score 12-10, Hayley Turk then crushed one to the fence with the bases loaded, scoring all three runs, and giving Clinton a miracle 13-12 victory. 

Click the above headline to see photos and videos taken by Erin Connor, and to hear interviews with the two coaches and Aubrey Saunders.