Click the thumbnails to see video highlights and to hear post-game comments from Escanaba's Chole Dubord, Landry Bray, Cam Buckley, and Manager Andy Fields. Also hear Gladstone Manager Scott Herioux's pre-game interview (he did not appear in the radio post-game show)
ESCANABA---The Escanaba Eskymos and Gladstone Braves met for the second time in three days in softball on Monday, and this time, the result was different.
The Braves beat the Eskymos, 1-0, to win the championship of the Escanaba tournament on Saturday, but in the return trip to Lemmerand Park on Monday, Gladstone could not repeat the feet against its rivals.
Escanaba came from behind to win the opener, 7-6, and then the Eskymos cruised to win the second game in six innings, 12-2. The two teams will face off again on May 21 in Gladstone.
On Monday, the opener was a sloppy game, with both teams making far too many errors for the liking of their head coaches. The cold, brisk wind may have been a factor in some of the mistakes, but a few were also errors on easy plays.
There were also good defensive plays: Gladstone right fielder Tiahna Reynolds made a great running catch in the fourth inning to rob Addy Noblet of a double and two runs batted in. Reynolds also was a part of a 9-3 double play in the third innings when she caught a Cam Buckley fly ball and doubled off the runner at first base.
On the Escanaba side, catcher Koeller Hayes threw out Addy Sanville in the fourth inning on a “strike-em-out-throw-em-out” double play.
In the end, Gladstone scored four runs in the fifth inning to take a 6-4 lead, with Emma Trombley and Lauren Pare both getting sacrifice flies to bring home runs, and Sanville smacking an RBI single.
Escanaba, though, put on a big rally against Pare, who had shut the Eskymos out in that Saturday game. Pare got the first two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning with a 6-4 lead, but Brooklyn Beauchamp kept the inning going with a solid base hit and Mary Kate Tourangeau was hit by a pitch.
With two on and two out, Chloe Dubord came through with a two-run single to left field, tying the game at 6-6.
"Lauren was throwing inside and I knew what I had to do," Dubord said. "I didn't do great in my first at-bat, so I hopped on the tee and worked on hitting inside. I knew it was coming, so I prepared for it. It was perfect. It was right inside and I knew where to put the ball."
Escanaba pitcher Landry Bray retired the final seven betters she faced, including a 1-2-3 seventh inning. Then in the bottom half, Escanaba went to work at the plate. Abby Derkos led off with a hit, Bray was safe on an infield error, and then with two on, Buckley came through with the RBI single to left field to give Escanaba a 7-6 walk-off win.
"She (Pare) mainly throws inside, and I mean, I was just hoping for an inside pitch," Buckley said. "I got it, right on the inside of the bat, and it was just a little blooper over the shortstop's head and it felt great. We played as a team and we just wanted to win so bad. We just pushed through."
"They're all good hitters," Escanaba Manager Andy Fields said of his team. "I think we lack a little confidence at the plate at times. They get too down on themselves. They just don't realize just how good they really are. Today, goals were set to be a little more consistent at the plate, and to put the ball in play. We bunted the ball really well. Overall, I'm really happy with the girls today."
In the second game, Gladstone took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI single by Malia Quigley. From there, Bray retired 15 of the final 19 batters she faced, allowing just one unearned run in the fifth inning after the Eskymos had already taken a 7-1 lead.
Escanaba got that lead against young Braves pitcher Sanville with Derkos going 3-for-3 with three runs batted in, and Dubord was 3-for-3 plus a sacrifice fly, bringing home two runs from the leadoff spot in the batting order. Noblet also added a pair of doubles in the No. 2 spot, giving the top three in the Eskymo batting order a collective 8-for-11 at the plate with six RBI and four runs scored.
Mara Anderson also had a strong game at the plate with a pair of doubles in the No. 7 hole, and she scored three runs. And a couple of Escanaba's younger players got their moment in the sun: Kensley Williams had an RBI single, and Braelyn Grandchamp added an RBI single and scored a run.
Bray pitched all 13 innings of the doubleheader for the Eskymos, and earning two wins in the circle. Pare took the loss in the opener and Sanville took the loss in the nightcap.
"I think we worked more as a team today," Buckley said. "We came out of school ready to play, and ready to beat them."
Bray threw all 13 innings and picked up the win in the circle in both games.
"I've been dealing through some injuries, and so I didn't feel as good," Bray said. "But as I kept going, it got better. That's all I can ask for is to get better as I go on. I was thinking, let my defense work a little more (than on Saturday). I have a great defense behind me. The wind kind of carried some and they couldn't get them, but I trust them, so I let the other team hit. It felt good to get back out there and beat them."
"She's turning into a stud pitcher here," Fields said. "She has worked so hard over the past three years here. It's really starting to come together for her."
Escanaba improved to 17-6 on the season, while Gladstone's record fell to 19-8.
Gladstone Manager Scott Herioux did not appear in the radio post-game show, but before the game, he talked about his Gladstone team's successes so far this season.
"We just preach: compete," Herioux said. "That's the message we always give. We don't always come in with the best pitcher or best defense, but we always come in to compete like we're the best, and as long as we come and compete, we'll take whatever happens. We preach energy. You can't play this sport, any sport, without a high degree of intensity."
Escanaba travels to the Detroit suburb of Canton this weekend to compete at the Michigan Softball Challenge. The Eskymos will face Ida, Trenton, and Howell in their first three games, with the potential of three more games before the weekend ends.
"I'm looking forward to getting better," Bray said. "Seeing some really good pitching, and getting our bats going."
"Softball is all about progression," Fields said. "This whole season has been a kind of work in progress. We keep getting better every week. It's just what the name (Michigan Challenge) says:it;s a challenge, We're going to go down there, and we've played in 40's and low 50 degree temperatures all spring. And it looks like now it's going to be 83 degrees there. That just brings a new element to it, We're excited to play in some warmer temperatures. I'm looking for some good softball this weekend."
Gladstone will be on the road Thursday in Norway, and in the Copper Country on Saturday.
