The Gladstone Major Little League All-Star softball team cruised to their second straight state tournament victory on Friday, turning back local entry Constantine Little League, 15-1, in downstate Schoolcraft. Reagan Carter and Kamryn Ayotte combined to throw a no-hitter, the second straight "no no" for Gladstone. A ten-run fourth inning was the difference, as Gladstone batted around (and then some) against Constantine pitcher Zoe Grimmage,
Ayotte had an inside the park home run, Reese Lovell drove in three runs, and Josalynn Meyette had a triple and a run batted in. Ellie Sanville had a hit and a walk, and scored a pair of runs. And Emmersyn Whitney had another nice game at the bottom of the line-up, getting three runs batted in on a hit, ground out, and on a bizarre play where she got a base hit to right field in the second inning, but was caught off of first base.
Nora Nastoff, who does not play a position in the field and bats 12th in the order, contributed with a pair of walks and she scored a Gladstone run.
Still, Whitney's hit opened up a 6-1 lead. Cartrer struggled with the small strike zone, walking five batters in 1 1/3 innings of pitching, one of whom came around to score Constantine's only run. Ayotte came on to pitch, and, after digging a trench inside the sand-filled pitcher's circle, retired all eight batters she faced to end the game, six of them on strikes.
Gladstone will face Marquette in the "Yooper Bowl" seven hours from home in the final pool play game Saturday at 12:30. Marquette lost to Clare, 8-3, in Friday's evening game. The Gladstone-Marquette game will be broadcast live on FM-93.5 and AM-600 in Gladstone, on FM-99.5 in Marquette, and on-line at www.radioresultsnetwork.com.
