ESCANABA---The Escanaba Senior Little League All-Stars (age 15-16) opened the state tournament Saturday with two impressive wins at Lemmerand Park.
Escanaba fell behind in both games, but rolled past Taylor, 11-1, and Edwardsburg, 13-3, to close in on a spot in Monday's state championship game.
Escanaba will need to win one of its two games on Sunday to assure a spot in that title contest.
In Saturday's first contest, Escanaba fell behind, 1-0, but took advantage of several Taylor mistakes, along with walks and wild pitches, to gradually build a lead.
Sam Connor had a two-run double off of the right field fence, Callie Heller had a two-run single, and Jessica Gill added a double in the fifth inning.
Becca Piron had a pop fly to right-center field to drive in two runs, and Mackenzie Leisner walked three times, Jayme Frappier pitched all five innings for Escanaba, allowing two hits and one walk, and striking out eight batters.
The Escanaba-Edwardsburg game got off to a rough start as Frappier gave up four straight hits to start the game. One of them was a home run over the fence for Bailey Thomas.
Edwardsburg, a small town near the Michigan-Indiana border, had a 2-0 lead and runners on second and third with no outs. Frappier worked out of the jam.
Escanaba managed to tie the game as Leisner was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and Frappier walked with three aboard. Escanaba took control of the game in the middle innings, as Heller's two-run single to right made the score 6-2.
Edwardsburg tried to rally in the fourth inning, but with two on, Heller stabbed a ball that was heading toward left field.
From her knees, she threw to second for one out, as a run scored. When the ball was thrown back to third, the runner from first took off, and she was tagged out at second base as well.
Escanaba maintained a 6-3 lead at that point.
Escanaba added to its lead when Frappier bunted home a run, Piron stole home after being caught too far off of third base, and Gill smacked a shot to right field that got by the outfielder to the fence for a triple. Later, Piron slapped a base hit to make it 11-3.
Escanaba ended the game on the mercy rule in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Frappier pitched the first three innings, allowing two runs on six hits. Connor threw the next two innings, giving up two hits. Heller tossed the final inning, allowing no hits.
Escanaba will wrap up round-robin play with two games on Sunday. First, the girls will play Keweenaw at 10 a.m. Then, the girls take on Kalamazoo Parchment at noon. The second game will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at rrnsports.com.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos and videos from the Escanaba-Edwardsburg game.
KEWEENAW GIRLS LOSE TWICE---The Keweenaw Senior Girls played a high-scoring game in their state tournament opener on Saturday. The girls from the Calumet area had a 13-7 lead over Kalamazoo Parchment, but the downstate team scored seven runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to steal away a 14-13 win.
Later, Keweenaw lost to Taylor, 9-3.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos and videos from the Keweenaw-Parchment game.
Escanaba pitcher Jayme Frappier.
Escanaba will need to win one of its two games on Sunday to assure a spot in that title contest.
In Saturday's first contest, Escanaba fell behind, 1-0, but took advantage of several Taylor mistakes, along with walks and wild pitches, to gradually build a lead.
Sam Connor had a two-run double off of the right field fence, Callie Heller had a two-run single, and Jessica Gill added a double in the fifth inning.
Becca Piron had a pop fly to right-center field to drive in two runs, and Mackenzie Leisner walked three times, Jayme Frappier pitched all five innings for Escanaba, allowing two hits and one walk, and striking out eight batters.
Esky girls tag out two at second base
Edwardsburg, a small town near the Michigan-Indiana border, had a 2-0 lead and runners on second and third with no outs. Frappier worked out of the jam.
Edwardsburg tried to rally in the fourth inning, but with two on, Heller stabbed a ball that was heading toward left field.
From her knees, she threw to second for one out, as a run scored. When the ball was thrown back to third, the runner from first took off, and she was tagged out at second base as well.
Escanaba maintained a 6-3 lead at that point.
Escanaba added to its lead when Frappier bunted home a run, Piron stole home after being caught too far off of third base, and Gill smacked a shot to right field that got by the outfielder to the fence for a triple. Later, Piron slapped a base hit to make it 11-3.
Escanaba's Jessica Gill RBI triple
Frappier pitched the first three innings, allowing two runs on six hits. Connor threw the next two innings, giving up two hits. Heller tossed the final inning, allowing no hits.
Escanaba will wrap up round-robin play with two games on Sunday. First, the girls will play Keweenaw at 10 a.m. Then, the girls take on Kalamazoo Parchment at noon. The second game will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at rrnsports.com.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos and videos from the Escanaba-Edwardsburg game.
Later, Keweenaw lost to Taylor, 9-3.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos and videos from the Keweenaw-Parchment game.
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REVISED Senior Softball State Tournament At Escanaba Saturday, July 20 D15 Edwardsburg 20, D2 Kalamazoo Parchment 1 D10 Escanaba 11, D5 Taylor 1 D2 Kalamazoo Parchment 14, D11 Keweenaw 13 D10 Escanaba 13, D15 Edwardsburg 3 D5 Taylor 9, D11 Keweenaw 3 Sunday, July 21 10:00 a.m.---D10 Escanaba vs D11 Keweenaw 10:00 a.m.---D2 Kalamazoo Parchment vs D5 Taylor 12:00 p.m.---D10 Escanaba vs D2 Kalamazoo Parchment 12:00 p.m.---D15 Edwardsburg vs D5 Taylor 2:00 p.m.---D15 Edwardsburg vs D11 Keweenaw Monday, July 22 10:00 a.m.---State Championship game WINNER ADVANCES TO STATE TOURNAMENT IN SOUTH BEND |
