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Opportunistic Braves Sweep Softball Doubleheader
 ESCANABA---The Escanaba Eskymos and Gladstone Braves always hook up in tight, intense battles when the two teams meet on the softball diamond. And Tuesday's doubleheader was no exception, as both games were close heading into the final innings.  Escanaba made ten errors in the doubleheader (five in each game), and they led to four of Gladstone's ten runs being unearned. The Braves also hit well behind those errors, and used the pitching of Tinner Sharon and Alison Austin to earn the doubleheader sweep. In the opener, Escanaba took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Emily Bogauto got a one-out single and went to second on a Bri Belanger bunt. 
Becca Piron RBI hit in Game One.
The Braves had the answer in the fourth inning when Austin walked and scored on a Sadie Strasser single.  With one out, Syd Gafner also bunted, but popped it up. Sharon raced toward the foul line and caught it, running over catcher Morgan Kowalski in the process. Kowalski was down for a moment, and needed to "walk it off". She stayed in the game. The next batter, Codi Jenshak, struck out, to end the inning. It was still 1-1 in the sixth inning when the Braves grabbed the lead. With one out, Grace Zimmermann singled.  
Sadie Strasser drives home Grace Zimmerman.
The 2-1 lead held up after Sharon retired the Eskymos 1-2-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning. Then in the top of the seventh, Gladstone scored two more runs as the Eskymos committed two errors. The runs came in on a sacrafice bunt by Ashley Berthaume and on a sacrafice fly by Austin. Gladstone outhit Escanaba, 8-4, in the 4-1 win.  Jayme Frappier pitched all seven innings for Escanaba, and took the loss, allowing four runs (two earned) on eight hits. Frappier fanned three and walked one batter. In the second game, both teams had two runners on base in the first inning but failed to score. The game stayed scoreless into the fourth inning before the Braves got the upper hand. Jess Beaudry got a one-out double, moved to third on a Kowalski hit, and then scored on an Austin shot that was snared by Piron for a 6-3 putout. Escanaba tied the game in the bottom of the inning when Jenshak walked and then she went to second when Bogaudo ripped one up the right-center-field that Strasser tracked down. 
Tinner Sharon and Morgan Kowalski collide.
With the game tied at 1-1 in the fifth inning, the Braves put on a hitting display against Jenshak, who had held the Braves to just three hits in the first four innings. Mikayla Depuydt got things started with a double, then with two out, Strasser, Lexi Hongisto, and Beaudry all had sharply-hit RBI base hits. Gladstone took a 4-1 lead.  But the Eskymos would get no more runs off of Austin, who pitched a complete-game five-hitter for the Braves. Gladstone added two unearned runs in the seventh inning as the Escanaba defense had issues. Gladstone's Beaudry had three hits in the game after sitting out the opener. Kowalski had two hits, and Strasser and Hongisto each had doubles. For Escanaba, Jenshak took the loss in the circle, throwing five innings before Frappier pitched the final two innings. Escanaba (5-4) will be busy later this week, with eight games in three games. The girls will face Pulaski (Wis.) in a doubleheader on Thursday, starting at 5:00.
Sadie Strasser post-game comments.
And on Saturday, the Eskymos will host the Escanaba Lions Invitational Saturday. In that event, the Eskymos will play four games: against Sault Ste. Marie at 10:00, Rapid River at noon, Marquette at 2:00, and Neenah, Wis., at 4:00. Gladstone (17-1) will play three games Saturday at a tournament in downstate Tawas. Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see more photos and videos, and to listen to post-game interviews and radio highlights from the games. Thanks to Mike Dagenais for doing the videos and photos. |
| Date | Time | Opponent | Score | Record |
3/29 |
6:00 PM |
Manistique Emeralds
|
18 - 0 (W)
|
1-0
|
3/30 |
1:00 PM |
Escanaba Eskymos
|
8 - 3 (W)
|
2-0
|
3/30 |
4:00 PM |
at Marquette Redmen
|
4 - 5 (L)
|
2-1
|
4/24 |
4:00 PM |
Marquette Redmen
|
9 - 5 (W)
|
3-1
|
4/24 |
6:00 PM |
Marquette Redmen
|
7 - 0 (W)
|
4-1
|
4/26 |
5:00 PM |
Peshtigo Bulldogs
|
12 - 0 (W)
|
5-1
|
5/2 |
4:00 PM |
Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils
|
12 - 4 (W)
|
6-1
|
5/2 |
6:00 PM |
Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils
|
RAIN - RAIN (T)
|
|
5/3 |
3:30 PM |
at Traverse City St. Francis
|
12 - 0 (W)
|
7-1
|
5/3 |
5:00 PM |
at Traverse City St. Francis
|
2 - 1 (W)
|
8-1
|
5/4 |
9:00 AM |
at Cadillac Vikings
|
9 - 2 (W)
|
9-1
|
5/4 |
11:00 AM |
at Benzie Central Legion
|
11 - 0 (W)
|
10-1
|
5/4 |
2:00 PM |
at Reed City Coyotes
|
11 - 0 (W)
|
11-1
|
5/7 |
4:00 PM |
at Rapid River Rockets
|
8 - 2 (W)
|
12-1
|
5/7 |
6:00 PM |
at Rapid River Rockets
|
15 - 1 (W)
|
13-1
|
5/9 |
4:00 PM |
at Negaunee Miners
|
19 - 2 (W)
|
14-1
|
5/11 |
9:00 AM |
Reese Rockets
|
4 - 1 (W)
|
15-1
|
5/14 |
4:00 PM |
at Escanaba Eskymos
|
4 - 1 (W)
|
16-1
|
5/14 |
6:00 PM |
at Escanaba Eskymos
|
6 - 2 (W)
|
17-1
|
5/18 |
10:00 AM |
St. Louis High School
|
8 - 0 (W)
|
18-1
|
5/18 |
12:00 PM |
Birch Run
|
6 - 1 (W)
|
19-1
|
5/18 |
2:00 PM |
New Boston Huron High School
|
3 - 0 (W)
|
20-1
|
5/18 |
4:00 PM |
Tawas
|
7 - 3 (W)
|
21-1
|
5/21 |
4:00 PM |
Escanaba Eskymos
|
4 - 2 (W)
|
22-1
|
5/21 |
6:00 PM |
Escanaba Eskymos
|
4 - 3 (W)
|
23-1
|
5/28 |
4:00 PM |
Manistique Emeralds
|
10 - 0 (W)
|
24-1
|
5/28 |
6:00 PM |
Pickford Panthers
|
18 - 0 (W)
|
25-1
|
6/1 |
12:00 PM |
Negaunee Miners
|
4 - 0 (W)
|
26-1
|
6/8 |
10:00 AM |
Boyne City
|
8 - 2 (W)
|
27-1
|
6/8 |
2:00 PM |
Tawas
|
4 - 1 (W)
|
28-1
|
6/11 |
3:00 PM |
Unionville-Sebewaing
|
0 - 7 (L)
|
28-2
|
