SOFTBALL WARFARE: Eskymos Win Two Battles

CADILLAC---The Escanaba Eskymos survived two down-to-the-wire battles Saturday to claim the MHSAA Division Two regional championship. The Eskymos beat Remus Chippewa Hills, 2-0, then hung on to beat Muskegon Oakridge, 2-1, in the title game.

The girls will face Saginaw Swan Valley in the state quarterfinals on Tuesday at 4:00 at Central Michigan University. Swan Valley handed Escanaba one of its only losses of this season, 7-6, a tournament in Saginaw back in May.

More importantly, it is a rematch of last year's state quarterfinal game, which the Eskymos won at Saginaw Valley State University.

On Saturday in Cadillac, Eskymo senior Katie Ross and freshman Gabi Salo shared the pitching duties, effectively keeping both downstate teams off-balance.

In the championship win over Oakridge, Ross gave up a solo home run but otherwise allowed just two hits, striking out three in her three innings of work. Salo threw the final four innings, yielding two hits but no runs.

Salo struck out six batters.

At the plate, Ross was three-for-three with a pair of doubles, and she drove in both of the Eskymo runs in the contest. Lexi Chaillier and Emily Bruntjens each scored a run.

Alyssa Fessenden took the loss in the circle for the Eagles.

Escanaba also beat Oakridge in the regional championship game last year, 10-6.

Escanaba (36-4) will leave Tuesday morning for Mt. Pleasant and will face Swan Valley at 4:00. The game will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (NewsTalk 600), and rrnsports.com.