CLARE, Mich.---It took a while for them to get going, but once they did, the Escanaba Junior Little League All-Stars (age 13-14) served notice that they are ready for the challenge of defending the league's state championship from a year ago.
Escanaba fell behind the host Clare team early, but exploded for a 14-1 win in Thursday's first pool play game. Then, in the afternoon, Escanaba jumped out to a five-run lead in the first inning and beat Croswell-Lexington, 6-0.
Escanaba is guaranteed a spot in Saturday's state semifinal round, but will still play a final pool game against Grandville Friday morning.
In Thursday's first game, Escanaba's first six batters went down against Clare pitcherMolly Merillat. And Clare got a run against Escanaba pitcher Kayla VanPortfliet an a groundball by Bailey Hubel.
It looked like Clare would go ahead 2-0 when Hannah Brown hit a pop fly to short right field that was caught, and a runner taggedand scored.
But Escanaba appealed, and the umpire agreed that she left early, so it stayed 1-0.
Escanaba scored three runs without a base hit in the third inning, and then in the fourth, they exploded with 11 runs. There were four bunt singles in the inning (by Emily Bruntgens, Katie Ross, Tossi Martinez, and Aubree Saunders), plus a sacrafice bunt by Taylor Segorski where she reached base on an error.
Ross added an RBI double and Mallory Hiney had an RBI single in that inning. In the circle, VanPortfliet worked three innings and Laviolette pitched the final two frames.
After a break, the girls were back on the field against Croswell-Lexington. It was a mtach-up of the last two Michigan and Central Regional champions at this age group, with Cros-Lex going to the World Series in 2011 and Escanaba going last year.
Escanaba jumped on Cros-Lex pitcher Alyssa Cepeda right away. Bruntgens put down a perfect bunt single, and she scored on Laviolette's double to left.
Van Portfliet followed with a hit, and then Ross was safe on an error on a bouncer to first, scoring a run. Then, with the bases loaded, Taylor Gauthier clubbed a long one to deep right field. When the play was over, three runs scored. Even though Gauthier was tagged out, Escanaba had a 5-0 lead. And that tag play was the first out of the game.
Cepeda settled down after that, and did not allow another baserunner until she was pulled from the circle after four innings of pitching.
That was done to keep her available for Friday's pool play game against Clare.
Escanaba managed one run against reliever Claire Knapp in the sixth inning as Saunders had a lead-off double, was bunted to third by Jerrika McAlpine, and then scored on a bunt by Emily LaFave.
That was plenty of offense for the Escanaba pitching staff.
Ross tossed the first four innings, allowing no runs on three hits.
Laviolette pitched a scoreless fifth inning against Cros-Lex's bottom of the order, then VanPortfliet threw the sixth inning against the top of the Cros-Lex order. Laviolette came back on in the seventh inning as the bottom of the order was up again, and did not allow a hit.
Escanaba faces Grandville in a pool play finale Friday morning. WCHT-AM (600) will broadcast the game live, starting with the pre-game show at 10:40 in the morning.
The game broadcast will also be streamed live at www.rrnsports.com.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box for even more video clips, photos, and audio soundbytes and interviews.
SAULT STE. MARIE GIRLS GET SPLIT---The Sault Ste. Marie Junior Girls (age 13-14) lost to South Portage, 11-5, and then beat Sand Creek, 4-3, to stay alive in the state tournament.
The Soo girls actually had the Kalamazoo-area team in a 3-2 hole in the fifth inning of the opener before falling behind in the late innings.
The Soo will take on Taylor from the Detroit suburbs in a final pool play game on Friday, and then hope to get into the semifinal round with a 2-1 record.
Escanaba is guaranteed a spot in Saturday's state semifinal round, but will still play a final pool game against Grandville Friday morning.
In Thursday's first game, Escanaba's first six batters went down against Clare pitcherMolly Merillat. And Clare got a run against Escanaba pitcher Kayla VanPortfliet an a groundball by Bailey Hubel.
It looked like Clare would go ahead 2-0 when Hannah Brown hit a pop fly to short right field that was caught, and a runner taggedand scored.
But Escanaba appealed, and the umpire agreed that she left early, so it stayed 1-0.
Ross added an RBI double and Mallory Hiney had an RBI single in that inning. In the circle, VanPortfliet worked three innings and Laviolette pitched the final two frames.
After a break, the girls were back on the field against Croswell-Lexington. It was a mtach-up of the last two Michigan and Central Regional champions at this age group, with Cros-Lex going to the World Series in 2011 and Escanaba going last year.
Taylor Gauthier three RBI hit vs Cros-Lex
Van Portfliet followed with a hit, and then Ross was safe on an error on a bouncer to first, scoring a run. Then, with the bases loaded, Taylor Gauthier clubbed a long one to deep right field. When the play was over, three runs scored. Even though Gauthier was tagged out, Escanaba had a 5-0 lead. And that tag play was the first out of the game.
That was done to keep her available for Friday's pool play game against Clare.
Escanaba managed one run against reliever Claire Knapp in the sixth inning as Saunders had a lead-off double, was bunted to third by Jerrika McAlpine, and then scored on a bunt by Emily LaFave.
That was plenty of offense for the Escanaba pitching staff.
Esky's Katie Ross gets a strike out
Laviolette pitched a scoreless fifth inning against Cros-Lex's bottom of the order, then VanPortfliet threw the sixth inning against the top of the Cros-Lex order. Laviolette came back on in the seventh inning as the bottom of the order was up again, and did not allow a hit.
Claire McInerney interview.
The game broadcast will also be streamed live at www.rrnsports.com.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box for even more video clips, photos, and audio soundbytes and interviews.
The Soo girls actually had the Kalamazoo-area team in a 3-2 hole in the fifth inning of the opener before falling behind in the late innings.
The Soo will take on Taylor from the Detroit suburbs in a final pool play game on Friday, and then hope to get into the semifinal round with a 2-1 record.
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2013 Junior Little League Softball State Tournament At Clare, Michigan Escanaba 14, Clare 1 Croswell-Lexington 5, Grandville 3 South Portage 11, Sault Ste. Marie 5 Sand Creek 12, Taylor 2 Escanaba 6, Croswell-Lexington 0 Sault Ste. Marie 4, Sand Creek 3 Grandville vs Clare South Portage vs Taylor Fri 7/26---Escanaba vs Grandville Fri 7/26---Croswell-Lexington vs Clare Fri 7/26---Sault Ste. Marie vs Taylor Fri 7/26---South Portage vs Sand Creek Sat 7/27---Semifinal #1, 11 a.m. Sat 7/27---Semifinal #2, 11 a.m. Sat 7/27---Championship, 2 p.m. WINNER ADVANCES TO CENTRAL REGIONAL IN AKRON, OHIO |
