SCHOOLCRAFT, Mich.---It seems like it happens every summer, at least once. The Upper Peninsula's two Little League District champions somehow end up in the same bracket at a state tournament in Lower Michigan, and have to play against each other.
That's what happened Saturday as the Gladstone and Marquette Major Girls (age 10-12) softball team wrapped up state tournament pool play with the latest version of the “Yooper Bowl” in downstate Schoolcraft.
Gladstone won the game, 8-1, as Reese Lovell threw a no-hitter and added a two-run double at the plate. Kamryn Ayotte added an RBI single in a two-run first inning, and she scored a pair of runs. But it was tough for Gladstone to make solid contact against Marquette pitchers Paige Buchmaster and Kaelyn Hongisto.
“I think it was probably that it was a different type of pitcher, and we weren't used to it,” Gladstone outfielder Kate Wilson said. “I think we battled really well and our defense and pitching has been really good.”
“I don't know, it was just like she was pitching different pitches,” Gladstone second baseman Ellie Sanville agreed. “I think it was just really hot. Could've been colder. I'm excited and hope that we do good.”
Lovell struck out 12 batters and did not allow a hit. But she walked three batters in the final inning and one of them (Hazel Nyberg) scored on an error. That run meant nothing in the game, but it did in the final pool standings, as Gladstone finished in a tie with Grosse Pointe in runs scored and allowed. A coin toss determined who won first place in the pool, and Gladstone lost that coin toss.
So, Gladstone will face Edwardsburg in the state quarterfinals Sunday afternoon at 12:30. The game will be broadcast on FM-93.5, AM-600, and www.rrnsports.com.
As for Marquette, the girls lost all three games at the state tournament, but Manager Justin Gustafson was still pleased with his team's effort.
“We had a lot of girls who have put in a lot of work,” Gustafson said. “We've just got to find that for six innings. All three games, we wanted to rally in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. But we just can't do that against good teams. You have to come out with six strong innings, and that's something that we'll work on and we'll be back.”
