Braves Pull Out DH Sweep Of Eskymos
GLADSTONE---When the going gets tough, Gladstone Braves softball coach Jerry Smith looks to his seniors to come through at crunch time. And Thursday night, Smith looked to Sammie Strasser and Whitney Wells to make something happen to break a 3-3 tie against the rival Escanaba Eskymos. "Our whole defense played well tonight," Gladstone Coach Jerry Smith said. "And our pitching was good. We struggled a little bit with the bat at times, but the girls came through." The Eskymos had built a 3-0 lead as Jen Koish ripped a two-run single in the first inning and Emily Bogaudo scored on a wild pitch in the third inning. But the Braves scored twice in the bottom of the third inning as Alex Saunders doubled, and scored on a double by Strasser. Katie Becker's triple scored Gladstone's second run.
Jordan Kowalski hits a Home Run.
That led to the bottom of the sixth, when Saunders was hit by a pitch with one out. Strasser pushed a bunt up the third base line, and she legged it out. Smith says he would have been happy with a sacrafice there, but the fact that Strasser made it to first was a bonus. "I was just happy to get it down," Strasser said. "I haven't been able to get my bunts down lately. But I was just pumped on that one. It was a game-saver, I think." "She hasn't been hitting much this season at all," Smith added. "And tonight, we played all the seniors and she hit it well. She hit every time." Then, Wells came through with the big hit to break the tie. "I haven't been playing as long as everyone else, so I'm still learning every single day," Wells said. "I had not gotten a solid hit all game, so I just wanted to cut the ball in half, that's all I focused on, and I hit it right to the outfield. I'm pretty sure it was a bit inside, but I don't push the ball to left or right field, I just hit it wherever." Alternative content
Whitney Wells Interview.
Alison Austin retired the Eskymos in order in the seventh inning, helped along by three nice infield plays. The game was scoreless until the bottom of the third inning, when Strasser singled with one out and eventually scored on a two-base error. Then, in the fourth inning, Gladstone put on a two-out rally. Kowalski and Nicole Sharon both got singles, and then Jordan Schwartz ripped a double to score the game's second run. That would be more than enough for the Braves, as the Eskymos managed only two base hits against the tandem of Christine Sharon and Austin. Strasser had several nice plays at second base, and they weren't easy ones. One play in the seventh inning was especially good, as it hit the "lip" of the outfield grass and hopped up on Strasser, but she made the recovery and an accurate throw to first. Alternative content
Sammie Strasser Interview.
Kayli Van Effen pitched the first four innings for the Eskymos before giving way to Mikayla Schuster in the fifth. Schuster takes the pitching loss. Gladstone (18-4-1) is in the midst of a ten games-in-four-days stretch, and so far, the girls are 4-0. They will play a doubleheader in Sault Ste. Marie Friday afternoon. Escanaba (14-10) is also busy, with a doubleheader on Friday at home agaisnt Cheboygan, and then three more games on Saturday in the seven-team Lions Invitational at Lemmerand Park. Click the thumbnails in the "ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS" box to see more pictures, and listen to radio highlights from the second game. |
Date | Time | Opponent | Score | Record |
4/7 |
10:00 AM |
Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils
|
8 - 8 (T)
|
0-0-1
|
4/7 |
4:00 PM |
Rapid River Rockets
|
1 - 2 (L)
|
0-1-1
|
4/7 |
5:30 PM |
Escanaba Eskymos
|
5 - 1 (W)
|
1-1-1
|
4/10 |
5:00 PM |
at Green Bay Preble
|
0 - 3 (L)
|
1-2-1
|
4/14 |
11:00 AM |
Fenton Tigers
|
2 - 0 (W)
|
2-2-1
|
4/14 |
12:00 PM |
Reese Rockets
|
12 - 2 (W)
|
3-2-1
|
4/14 |
1:00 PM |
at Pinconning Spartans
|
18 - 2 (W)
|
4-2-1
|
4/24 |
4:00 PM |
Marquette Redmen
|
10 - 0 (W)
|
5-2-1
|
4/24 |
6:00 PM |
Marquette Redmen
|
4 - 3 (W)
|
6-2-1
|
4/28 |
10:00 AM |
at Cheboygan Chiefs
|
12 - 4 (W)
|
7-2-1
|
4/28 |
1:00 PM |
at Boyne City
|
6 - 2 (W)
|
8-2-1
|
4/28 |
4:00 PM |
Rapid River Rockets
|
9 - 3 (W)
|
9-2-1
|
5/1 |
4:00 PM |
at Marquette Redmen
|
5 - 1 (W)
|
10-2-1
|
5/1 |
6:00 PM |
at Marquette Redmen
|
5 - 2 (W)
|
11-2-1
|
5/3 |
4:00 PM |
Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils
|
- (T)
|
RAIN
|
5/3 |
6:00 PM |
Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils
|
- (T)
|
RAIN
|
5/7 |
5:30 PM |
at Peshtigo Bulldogs
|
- (T)
|
RAIN
|
5/10 |
4:00 PM |
Negaunee Miners
|
10 - 0 (W)
|
12-2-1
|
5/10 |
6:00 PM |
Negaunee Miners
|
14 - 2 (W)
|
13-2-1
|
5/12 |
9:30 AM |
at South Haven
|
3 - 5 (L)
|
13-3-1
|
5/12 |
12:30 PM |
at Farmington Hills Mercy
|
2 - 6 (L)
|
13-4-1
|
5/12 |
5:15 PM |
at Onaway Cardinals
|
4 - 2 (W)
|
14-4-1
|
5/16 |
4:00 PM |
Rapid River Rockets
|
8 - 2 (W)
|
15-4-1
|
5/16 |
6:00 PM |
Rapid River Rockets
|
6 - 2 (W)
|
16-4-1
|
5/17 |
4:00 PM |
Escanaba Eskymos
|
2 - 0 (W)
|
17-4-1
|
5/17 |
6:00 PM |
Escanaba Eskymos
|
5 - 3 (W)
|
18-4-1
|
5/18 |
3:00 PM |
at Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils
|
7 - 0 (W)
|
19-4-1
|
5/18 |
5:00 PM |
at Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils
|
10 - 2 (W)
|
20-4-1
|
5/19 |
10:00 AM |
at Birch Run
|
4 - 3 (W)
|
21-4-1
|
5/19 |
1:00 PM |
at Standish-Sterling
|
10 - 0 (W)
|
22-4-1
|
5/19 |
4:00 PM |
at Tawas
|
3 - 4 (L)
|
22-5-1
|
5/22 |
4:00 PM |
at Escanaba Eskymos
|
2 - 0 (W)
|
23-5-1
|
5/22 |
6:00 PM |
at Escanaba Eskymos
|
1 - 0 (W)
|
24-5-1
|
6/1 |
3:00 PM |
Negaunee Miners
|
8 - 0 (W)
|
25-5-1
|
6/1 |
5:00 PM |
Houghton Gremlins
|
13 - 0 (W)
|
26-5-1
|
6/9 |
10:00 AM |
at Tawas
|
8 - 0 (W)
|
27-5-1
|
6/9 |
3:00 PM |
Traverse City Central Trojans
|
6 - 2 (W)
|
28-5-1
|
6/12 |
12:00 PM |
Reed City Coyotes
|
8 - 0 (W)
|
29-5-1
|
6/15 |
11:00 AM |
Springport Spartans
|
5 - 4 (W)
|
30-5-1
|
6/16 |
10:00 AM |
Clinton
|
0 - 4 (L)
|
30-6-1
|