GRAYSON DOMINATES: Eskymos Sweep Flivvers
Click the thumbnails to see pictures taken by Heidi Bullen
KINGSFORD---The Escanaba High School softball team kept cruising Tuesday night with a pair of wins in Kingsford, 9-0 and 13-2. The second game was ended by the mercy rule after the sixth inning as the Eskymos improved to 17-1 on the season.
In the first game, Grayson LaMarche was on target as usual, carrying a no-hitter into the sixth inning. With one out, however, Addisyn Kriegl smacked a base hit to left field to break up the no-hitter.
It's the second time in less than a week that LaMarche had a no-hitter broken up late, after she lost a no-hitter in the seventh inning Friday against Gladstone.
That was the only blemish on LaMarche's afternoon as she was otherwise dominant in the circle. She struck out 17 batters in the seven-inning game, and she did not walk anybody.
LaMarche was also dominant at the plate, going four-for-four. In her first at-bat, in the top of the second inning, she tripled to lead off the inning, and then rode home on a two-run homer by Isy Braun that gave Escanaba a 3-0 lead.
In LaMarche's second at-bat, in the third inning, she singled home Carney Salo to make it a 4-0 Eskymo lead. Then in the sixth inning, LaMarche did it herself. Carley Bowden walked to start the inning and then LaMarche ripped a two-run homer to straight-away center field, giving Escanaba a 6-0 lead.
Then in the seventh inning, the icing on the cake for the Eskymos was a two-run homer by Bowden, also to center field, bringing home Salo, who had walked to start the inning,
Braun closed the scoring with a sacrifice fly, giving her three RBI to match LaMarche.
In the second game, McKayla Mott was in the circle for the Eskymos. And she was given a two-run lead before she threw her first pitch when Bowden cracked a two-run double, helping the Eskymos cash in on two walks.
It stayed 2-0 until the third inning, when Salo smacked a solo home run. But Kingsford scored twice in the bottom of the inning, one of them on an RBI single by Finnley Lutz.
Escanaba responded with six runs in the fourth inning to put the game out of reach. Katie Lamb bunted home a run, Clara Braun followed with an RBI single, and Mott helped her own cause as she ripped a two-run single. Then Anna Boutilier, who had tripled to start the inning, batted again, and brought in two runs with a pop fly single.
Later, Clara Braun added an RBI single and Carley McInerney had a two-run hit.
Mott threw all six innings, allowing four hits and four walks, and two earned runs. She struck out seven batters. Holly Richer took the loss for Kingsford, allowing nine runs on seven hits and five walks. She struck out three batters.
Kingsford fell to 9-10 on the season, with the four more recent losses coming to powerhouses Escanaba and Gladstone, who have a combined record of 29-3.
Escanaba's only loss in their 17-1 season thus far came to top-ranked Gaylord, who the Eskymos beat in a dramatic regional final last year.
The Eskymos, ranked fifth in the state in Division Two, could very well meet the Blue Devils again this summer, and this time, in a massive six-team district being hosted by Gaylord.
TUESDAY'S U.P. SOFTBALL SCOREBOARD
Gladstone 15, Marquette 2 (Game One)---Lauren Sundquist and Tia Schone both drove in three runs, while Addie Trombley had two hits and drove in two runs, and Lu Martinez had three hits. Jayden Raymond had two hits for the Redettes. Schone pitched all five innings to earn the win.
Gladstone 16, Marquette 1 (Game Two)---Lauren Sundquist ripped three doubles as part of a 19-hit attack for the Braves, who are ranked fifth in the state in Division Three. Tia Schone had three hits and drove in four runs, and Lu Martinez had three RBI. Schone also pitched the second game to earn the victory.
Bark River-Harris 6, Norway 3 (Game One)
Norway 16, Bark River-Harris 1 (Game Two)
TUESDAY'S U.P. BASEBALL SCOREBOARD
Gladstone 6, Kingsford 5---Braden Sundquist sacrifice fly in sixth inning broke the 5-5 tie. Gavin Frossard pitched four innings of relief to earn the win.
Manistique 3, Rudyard 2 (Game One)---Walk off base hit by Elmer Zellar for the Emeralds.
Rudyard 7, Manistique 5 (Game Two)---Aiden Bickel single, triple, home run, and game-winning RBI for the Bulldogs.
Norway 11, Forest Park 0 (Game One)
Norway 11, Forest Park 1 (Game Two)
