Escanaba Girls Outslug Tecumseh; Semis Up Next

SANFORD, Mich.---The Escanaba Major Little League All-Stars (age 11-12) finished pool play undefeated at the state tournament in Sanford on Friday after posting a 13-8 win over Tecumseh. The girls will play Grosse Pointe in the state semifinals on Saturday.

Leadoff batter Carley McInerney went 4-for-4 with three infield hits and an RBI single to the outfield in the fifth inning. She scored three runs and stole three bases.

Number two batter Anna Boutilier had a two-run double in the second inning, single in the third inning, and RBI groundout in the fifth inning.

She also turned a 6-3 double play on defense to end the ballgame, her second twin-killing in as many games.

Emma Parlett had an RBI double in the first inning as Escanaba built a 3-0 lead, and the girls led, 5-0, after Boutilier's hit in the second inning.

Tecumseh did not give up. The District 16 champions closed to within 5-3 after Emma Leitner doubled home two runs in the top of the third inning. And after Escanaba took a 9-4 lead, Tecumseh's Allison Feuerbacher smacked a bases-loaded triple in the fifth to bring her team to within 9-7.

But Escanaba immediately regained control of the game with four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, with Aubrey Stropich ripping a two-run double for the big hit.

Escanaba had 12 hits in the game, with Stropich getting three of them and McInerney getting four hits. Taylor Forvilly helped out off the bench with an RBI double.

Stropich pitched all six innings, allowing eight runs on five hits. Four of the runs were unearned. She walked four and struck out eight batters.

Feuerbacher took the loss, allowing nine runs on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Escanaba takes on Grosse Pointe in a semifinal game at 10 a.m. Saturday.

The game will be broadcast live at 9:45 a.m. on WGKL-FM (Kool 105.5), and it will be broadcast on-line at www.radioresultsnetwork.com/kool-105/.

The championship game is set for 1:00 and would be broadcast on AM-600 WCHT.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos, videos taken by Sheri Lehto. Also click to hear interviews with Natalie Beauchamp, Izzy Braun, amd Coach Todd Milkiewicz.