Esky Sr. Girls Beat Kingsford To Make District Final
IRON MOUNTAIN---Katie Ross allowed one hit over six innings and the Escanaba Senior Little League All-Stars (age 15-16) cruised to an 11-1 win over Kingsford Friday night in Iron Mountain. It was the second pitching win in as many nights for Ross in this tournament, and both of them were one-hitters...not the coveted no-hitter.
Ross came within one out of a no-hitter in Thursday's win over Norway before an infield hit near the third base line broke it up.
On Friday, Kingsford's Sydney Wickman got a hit to right field in the sixth, and a runner who had reached on a walk scored on an error.
"She has pretty much carried us since she was eleven," Escanaba Manager Jamie Segorski said. "She's always done a great job. She is probably one of the only pitchers in the U.P. that I have ever seen with so many one-hitters."
"She's just kind of snakebitten. I think that by the time she gets done pitching high school, she will have six, seven, eight of them. She wants one so bad, and that flare to right-center (by Wickman), you could just tell."
While she didn’t get her no-hitter (again), Ross did pick up another victory as the Escanaba girls shoot toward a spot in next week’s state tournament. She struck out nine batters, walked only two, and allowed just that one base hit.
Offensively, Escanaba started slow again, just as the girls did in Friday night’s win over Norway.
Escanaba led, 1-0, in the third inning, when the girls out five runs on the board to take control of the game. JJ Laviolette and Ross had RBI singles in that inning, Claire McInerney had a sacrifice fly, and Cassie Wisler ripped a two-run triple to right field.
“I guess I just made good contact,” Wisler said.
It looked for a moment that Segorski was going to send Wisler home for a possible home run. “I thought he was until he said ‘stop’ when I reached third,” Wisler said. “So, I stopped. We had to adjust to the pitching, but once we got it down, we were pretty solid hitters.”
Mariah Clement went the distance for Kingsford, allowing eleven hits and eleven runs (seven earned). Ross took the win, fanning nine batters, walking two, and that one hit.
Lavilolette and Ross both had two hits to go along with Wisler‘s triple. Malary Hiney had a single and a double, driving home a run and scoring two.
And Claire McInerney ended the game in the sixth inning with a two-run double to left field. Kingsford and Iron Mountain will play in a loser's bracket game on Saturday at 12:00 CT, and then Escanaba will face the winner for the district title Sunday at 3:00 CT/4:00 ET. Sunday's game will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600) rrnsports.com. Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos and videos from the game, taken by Mary Gauthier. |