Esky Girls Suffer Another Power Outage At Series

KIRKLAND, Wash.----The Softball Gods who were smiling on the Escanaba Junior Girls softball team threw so many dramatic games this summer have suddenly started to frown on the Yoopers.

The Escanaba girls went 16-0 from the districts through the Central Regional Tournament, with several of those wins coming in spine-tingling fashion.

But the girls have suffered a power outage at the Little League World Series, and the defense has sprung a leak at times. Escanaba was shut out for the second straight game on Wednesday, falling to the Canadian champions from Victoria, B.C., 6-0 at Everest Park in suburban Seattle, Wash. The girls managed only three base hits in the game, after having just one base hit in an earlier 5-0 loss to Honaker, Virginia.

Canada's Stephanie Galitzine was stung.

"It was a rough game," Escanaba Manager Jamie Segorski said. "Give Canada credit. They came out and hit the ball all over the field. It didn't matter what we were throwing. They made solid contact, and we made some great plays in the field to take hits away from them. Thank God for those plays or it could have run away to 15-0."

One of those plays happened in the first inning when Stephanie Galitzine ripped one to the fence.

She tried to stretch it into a triple, but Taylor Segorski got the ball back in to Callie Heller, who threw a strike to third baseman Michelle LaFave for the out. Galitzine was shaken up on the play, but eventually returned to the line-up.

There was no defense for the play that scored Canada's first run. Ashley Penny hit a line drive over the center field fence for a solo home run in the second inning.

Just moments before her home run, Escanaba had a chance to take the lead when LaFave led off the top of the second with a double to the fence. But some missed signs prevented the bunt to get her to third base, forcing Segorski to have Becca Piron bunt her over for the second out. Kayla VanPortfliet struck out, stranding LaFave at third.

Sam Connor pitched the first three innings.

In the fourth inning, LaFave ripped one off the second baseman's body in what was ruled an error. She stole second, so the tying run was in scoring position. But JJ Laviolette made contact, but the fly ball went straight to the left fielder.

It was still a 1-0 game.

But in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Katie Ross relieved Sam Connor on the mound, Ross had trouble with the strike zone.

She walked two batters, and the biggest play of the game was a defensive mistake when Canada's Penny hit a ground ball to third.

LaFave had a tailor-made double play, but there was no one covering second. LaFave then tried to get at least one out, but threw wildly to first base. That loaded the bases.

Ross got a pop up for the second out, but #7 hitter Courtney Sjerven hit one up the middle for a two-run single. Instead of being out of the inning, the Escanaba girls were all-of-a-sudden behind, 3-0.

Callie Heller relay throw gets out at third base.

"We made some mental errors and it was a very frustrating day," Segorski said. "Michelle did what she is supposed to do. She caught the ball. She turned and took a step to second to start the double play off.

"But there's nobody there, so she waited a second and switched direction. But by that time, it was too late."

Becca Piron at the plate on Wednesday.

In the fifth inning, Becca Piron walked, but Ross got robbed of a hit as her line drive was caught a few inches off the ground at third base.

Then Emily LaFave got a base hit, so Escanaba had two runners aboard. Callie Heller's bunt was fielded, though, to end it.

In the sixth inning, Mackenzie Leisner got a base hit to center field. Connor followed with a laser that was caught by the shortstop, and the throw to first was a double play.

In the seventh inning, Laviolette hit one that looked like a sure base hit, but the Canadian shortstop got on her tippy toes and caught it.

"We peppered the ball. I mean, Sam Connor made solid contact every at-bat," Segorski said. "A couple bunts that we put down were a foot to one side or the other away from where we needed them. It was just frustrating."

Victoria put the game away with three runs on three hits in the sixth inning, and it would have been worse if Leisner hadn't made two consecutive outstanding catches in center field to end that inning. Victoria had six runs...only two were earned.

Mackenzie Leisner in center field.

So now, the best Escanaba can finish is fifth place out of the nine teams entered here. And Segorski says that is the goal for the rest of the weekend.

"Our goal now is to go out of here 2-2," Segorski said. "We can beat the host team tomorrow. Have a lot of fun during the game and we'll go after them. Our goal is to give them all (fans back home) a little something more to cheer about tomorrow."

Segorski has cancelled Thursday morning's hitting practice.

The game against Kirkland, Wash., starts at 5:00 ET. The pre-game show starts at 4:30 on WGKL-FM (105.5), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.

Thanks again to all of our sponsors for giving us the money to be able to broadcast these games. Thanks also to the Tournament Committee for the accomodations.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see pictures and videos from the game. Thanks to Jason LaFave for doing that work. You're hired, kid! Also, listen to Anna Burch's pre-game interview.