ESCANABA---There wasn't much baserunning strategy needed for Escanaba High School softball Coach Jamie Segorski during the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Gladstone Braves. Segorski stood in the third base coach's box and watched his girls hit five home runs...against the wind...and the Eskymos rolled to a 10-0 victory.
In the second game of the doubleheader, there were no home runs, but the Eskymos didn't need any as Taylor Rathe struck out 15 batters and completed the sweep, 6-0.
"It's fun," Segorski said. "This is a great team. I have 14 players. I have 14 kids that I can put on the field and you don't really have a drop-off. This says a lot about the program itself. Taylor (Rathe) is pitching fantastic. Katie (Ross) is pitching great. They feed off each other, and it's not a competitive situation. They cheer for each other."
Escanaba actually scored three runs in the first inning before the home run fest began, as Emily Bruntjens tripled, Rathe walked, and Kayla VanPortfliet came through with a two-run double to the fence. JJ Laviolette singled home the third Eskymo run.
After that first inning, Gladstone pitcher Jenna Steinhoff was lifted for Maddie Kowalski, and the younger of the Kowalski sisters got a baptism by fire in the third inning. Ross started the inning with a solo home run to right field. Then VanPortfleit went yard. Then after Laviolette singled, Taylor Segorski smoked a two-run homer to make it 7-0.
Three home runs, and all of them against the wind.
"It's contagious," Taylor Segorski said. "It gets exciting. Every time the ball goes up in the air, people are screaming. There were a couple that hit the fence in the air, too, and we were all running out on the field thinking it was going out too. It's exciting."
So the Braves brought Steinhoff back in to pitch, but the home runs didn't stop there.
Ross hit her second bomb of the game...this time to left-center field...in the fourth inning, and then Mackenzie Leisner hit a solo home run in the fifth and final inning.
Ross has now hit seven home runs this season, tying her with 2015 graduate Michelle LaFave for the most in a season. And the team still has six games left to go.
"We were seeing the ball really well, I think," Ross said. "It's great. I love it. It makes the game way more exciting (when numerous girls hit home runs)."
Gladstone continued to play without Head Coach Ashley Hughes, whose fiance passed away abruptly last Thursday night.
There was a moment of silence for him before the game, and assistants Theresa Shepeck and Liz Gendron coached the girls.
Gladstone leadoff hitter Alyssa Polley had a great game, going three for three at the plate. The Braves had five hits altogether, but they never could get the big hit against Ross, who pitched all five innings to earn the win in the mercy-shortened game.
One of the only Eskymos not to get in on the hit parade was leadoff hitter Callie Heller, who went 0-for-4. But she quickly made up for that in the second game, getting a single, double, and triple. Escanaba took a 3-0 lead against Braves pitcher Taylor Hunter in the first inning as Heller doubled and scored on a hit by Bruntjens.
Ross delivered a two-run single, scoring Rathe (who walked) and Bruntjens.
The Eskymos scored two more runs in the second inning on an RBI triple by Heller, and an RBI single by Rathe. And Rathe did the rest in the circle, striking out 15 batters, and allowing just three hits. She did hit three batters, but the Braves couldn't score.
Escanaba celebrated its Senior and Parents Night between games, as this was the final games of the season at Lemmerand Park for the Eskymos.
Escanaba is now 28-2-1 on the season, and has beaten Gladstone four times this season. The Braves fell to 15-13 on the season.
The two teams will play another doubleheader next Tuesday in Gladstone. Game time is 4:00, and both games will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos and videos taken by Nate Bellville and Mary Gauthier, and to hear radio replays of all five of Escanaba's home runs from Game One.
In the second game of the doubleheader, there were no home runs, but the Eskymos didn't need any as Taylor Rathe struck out 15 batters and completed the sweep, 6-0.
Escanaba actually scored three runs in the first inning before the home run fest began, as Emily Bruntjens tripled, Rathe walked, and Kayla VanPortfliet came through with a two-run double to the fence. JJ Laviolette singled home the third Eskymo run.
After that first inning, Gladstone pitcher Jenna Steinhoff was lifted for Maddie Kowalski, and the younger of the Kowalski sisters got a baptism by fire in the third inning. Ross started the inning with a solo home run to right field. Then VanPortfleit went yard. Then after Laviolette singled, Taylor Segorski smoked a two-run homer to make it 7-0.
Three home runs, and all of them against the wind.
So the Braves brought Steinhoff back in to pitch, but the home runs didn't stop there.
Ross hit her second bomb of the game...this time to left-center field...in the fourth inning, and then Mackenzie Leisner hit a solo home run in the fifth and final inning.
Ross has now hit seven home runs this season, tying her with 2015 graduate Michelle LaFave for the most in a season. And the team still has six games left to go.
"We were seeing the ball really well, I think," Ross said. "It's great. I love it. It makes the game way more exciting (when numerous girls hit home runs)."
There was a moment of silence for him before the game, and assistants Theresa Shepeck and Liz Gendron coached the girls.
Gladstone leadoff hitter Alyssa Polley had a great game, going three for three at the plate. The Braves had five hits altogether, but they never could get the big hit against Ross, who pitched all five innings to earn the win in the mercy-shortened game.
One of the only Eskymos not to get in on the hit parade was leadoff hitter Callie Heller, who went 0-for-4. But she quickly made up for that in the second game, getting a single, double, and triple. Escanaba took a 3-0 lead against Braves pitcher Taylor Hunter in the first inning as Heller doubled and scored on a hit by Bruntjens.
Ross delivered a two-run single, scoring Rathe (who walked) and Bruntjens.
Escanaba celebrated its Senior and Parents Night between games, as this was the final games of the season at Lemmerand Park for the Eskymos.
Escanaba is now 28-2-1 on the season, and has beaten Gladstone four times this season. The Braves fell to 15-13 on the season.
The two teams will play another doubleheader next Tuesday in Gladstone. Game time is 4:00, and both games will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos and videos taken by Nate Bellville and Mary Gauthier, and to hear radio replays of all five of Escanaba's home runs from Game One.
