Click the thumbnails to see photos taken by Sara Trombley.
GLADSTONE---Montgomery Pepin threw two complete games to lead the Gladstone Braves softball team to a regional championship. The Braves beat Boyne City, 7-1, in the semifinals, and then pulled out a 2-0 win in the championship game over Grayling.
The result sends the Braves back to the state quarterfinals, where they will try to avenge last year's extra inning quarterfinal loss to Standish-Sterling.
This time, they'll face the Evart Wildcats.
Gladstone got off to a great start in the semifinal game, scoring two runs in the first inning. Lauren Sundquist led off with a hit and eventually scored on an error, and then Riley Gerow's base hit gave the Braves a 2-0 lead.
The Ramblers got a run in the second inning on an RBI double by Natalie Grobaski, but Gladstone got that run back in the bottom of the inning on a bases loaded walk to Reese Herioux. The Braves, though, stranded the bases loaded, so it stayed a 3-1 game.
Gladstone essentially put the game away with a three-run rally in the bottom of the fourth inning. Joelle Jordan's fly ball to left field landed for a hit, Emma Trombley got an infield hit to put two runners on base, and Boyne City elected to intentionally walk Sundquist to load the bases.
That move backfired when Herioux smacked an RBI single to left field to bring in two runs, giving Gladstone a 5-1 lead. A Gerow sacrifice fly gave the Braves a 6-1 advantage.
The final run of the game came on a bases loaded walk in the sixth inning to Sammy Drielick.
Pepin threw all seven innings for the win, scattering five hits, walking four, and striking out ten. Delaney Vollmer took the loss for Boyne City, which finishes with a 20-18-1 record.
The championship game between the Braves and the Grayling Vikings was tight all afternoon long, as Pepin was in a pitcher's duel with the Vikings' Jessica Campbell.
Both girls put up goose eggs on the scoreboard for five innings, and then as the teams prepared to start the sixth inning, the rains became too strong and the game was delayed. After more than an hour, the game resumed, and Pepin struck out all three batters she faced in the top of the sixth inning, sending the Braves into the bottom of the inning still tied up.
In the bottom of the sixth, Sundquist got things started with a one-out double to right field. After Herioux struck out for the second out, Pepin helped her own cause with a clutch line drive base hit to right field, plating the first run of the game for Gladstone.
Drielick followed with an RBI single of her own, making it a 2-0 Braves lead.
Pepin pitched a 1-2-3 top of the seventh inning, sending the Braves downstate again, and just one step away from a trip to the state finals at Michigan State University.
Pepin was dominant against Grayling, allowing only two hits and three walks, striking out nine batters. Campbell allowed six hits and struck out eigjht for the Vikings (23-12).
Gladstone improved to 22-11 on the season, and will travel to Cadillac High School on Tuesday for a state quarterfinal game against the Evart Wildcats, who are 34-4 on the season.
Game time Tuesday is 5:00. It will be broadcast live on FM-93.5, AM-600, and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.
GLADSTONE---Montgomery Pepin threw two complete games to lead the Gladstone Braves softball team to a regional championship. The Braves beat Boyne City, 7-1, in the semifinals, and then pulled out a 2-0 win in the championship game over Grayling.
The result sends the Braves back to the state quarterfinals, where they will try to avenge last year's extra inning quarterfinal loss to Standish-Sterling.
This time, they'll face the Evart Wildcats.
The Ramblers got a run in the second inning on an RBI double by Natalie Grobaski, but Gladstone got that run back in the bottom of the inning on a bases loaded walk to Reese Herioux. The Braves, though, stranded the bases loaded, so it stayed a 3-1 game.
Gladstone essentially put the game away with a three-run rally in the bottom of the fourth inning. Joelle Jordan's fly ball to left field landed for a hit, Emma Trombley got an infield hit to put two runners on base, and Boyne City elected to intentionally walk Sundquist to load the bases.
That move backfired when Herioux smacked an RBI single to left field to bring in two runs, giving Gladstone a 5-1 lead. A Gerow sacrifice fly gave the Braves a 6-1 advantage.
The final run of the game came on a bases loaded walk in the sixth inning to Sammy Drielick.
Pepin threw all seven innings for the win, scattering five hits, walking four, and striking out ten. Delaney Vollmer took the loss for Boyne City, which finishes with a 20-18-1 record.
Both girls put up goose eggs on the scoreboard for five innings, and then as the teams prepared to start the sixth inning, the rains became too strong and the game was delayed. After more than an hour, the game resumed, and Pepin struck out all three batters she faced in the top of the sixth inning, sending the Braves into the bottom of the inning still tied up.
In the bottom of the sixth, Sundquist got things started with a one-out double to right field. After Herioux struck out for the second out, Pepin helped her own cause with a clutch line drive base hit to right field, plating the first run of the game for Gladstone.
Drielick followed with an RBI single of her own, making it a 2-0 Braves lead.
Pepin pitched a 1-2-3 top of the seventh inning, sending the Braves downstate again, and just one step away from a trip to the state finals at Michigan State University.
Pepin was dominant against Grayling, allowing only two hits and three walks, striking out nine batters. Campbell allowed six hits and struck out eigjht for the Vikings (23-12).
Gladstone improved to 22-11 on the season, and will travel to Cadillac High School on Tuesday for a state quarterfinal game against the Evart Wildcats, who are 34-4 on the season.
Game time Tuesday is 5:00. It will be broadcast live on FM-93.5, AM-600, and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.
