Champs tune up for district; Posen wins 15 straight, including division

Defending state champion Hurons softball team will have one more tune-up before Saturday’s district tournament. Rogers City plays Wolverine in the 10 a.m. game in Posen Saturday

The team swept Atlanta Wednesday in two mercy-rule games. RC played one of two games at Petoskey Tuesday before rain washed out the nightcap. Petoskey handed the Hurons a 5-4 loss. The Hurons got three runs in the second before Petoskey tied it up with one in the third and two more in the fourth inning.  Senior Alexa Quaine allowed nine hits with four strikeouts.

At the plate, junior catcher Sarah Meredith had three hits and an RBI as did Quaine.

SENIOR MERCEDES Kowalski made a fine running catch of a hard hit ball in Tuesday’s game-one Viking win over the Soo. (Photo by Peter Jakey)

“We had our chances, but stranded too many runners,” said coach Karl Grambau.

Last Saturday, the Hurons went 2-1 in the Ogemaw Heights Tournament. The Hurons lost 9-6 to Bullock Creek, the third-ranked team in Division 2, to open play. Logan Fleming continued her assault on the all-time hit record for Michigan girls’ softball with three hits. Sarah Meredith has two hits while Quaine added two hits. Ally Streich smashed a solo home run.

“We had our chances but just came up short, Bullock Creek has a very good team,” Grambau said.  Bullock Creek beat Unionville Sebewaing Area, who is ranked number 1 in Division 4, 12-2 last week.  Bullock Creek went on to win the Ogemaw tournament.

Quaine took the loss, allowing nine runs on 14 hits while striking out two.

The Hurons came back to defeat Gladwin 8-3 as Meredith drove in three runs on two hits. Autumn Idalski, Logan Fleming and Kayla Rabeau had two hits each. Quaine got the win, allowing three runs on seven hits with two strikeouts.

A three-run ninth inning gave the Hurons an 8-5 win over Linden in game three. The game was saved by a great defensive play by Megan Brege in left field. With 2 outs in the bottom of the seventh, she had a perfect throw to Meredith at home to throw out what would have been the winning run for Linden at the plate. Meredith had five hits, including a home run. Logan Fleming had two hits, including a homer.

Grambau said the day had the atmosphere of the state tournament.

Last Thursday, Rogers City took a 7-2 win at Cheboygan. Quaine allowed a two-run homer in the first and then clamped down on the Chiefs. Logan Fleming had four hits and scored three runs.

“We played very well in Cheboygan on Thursday and all day Saturday. I am very proud of my girls.  They represent Rogers City in such a positive way. I am lucky to have such a great group of girls to coach,” he said.

The Hurons are 28-5 heading into Wednesday’s games.

POSEN (19-11) extended its winning streak to 15 games Tuesday with an extra inning victory over a solid hitting Sault Ste. Marie squad.

Home runs by Hunter Kaszubowski and Sam Lenard gave the Lady Vikings the lead, but the Soo came back to tie the game late to force the extra frame, which went to the international tiebreaker rule.

Posen’s defense made some outstanding plays in the top of the eighth-inning, including a play at the plate where the go-head run was snuffed out by a sweeping tag by catcher Brooke Ciarkowski. The runner from third tried to jump over Brooke, but the tag was made.

In the bottom of the eighth, Jenna Hincka took second and was moved over to third on a perfect bunt by pinch hitter Hannah Stone.

Taylor Chojnacki stroked the game winner and allowed Hincka to jog home for the game-winning run, 6-5.

Ciarkowski was 2-for-3 with a double, triple and a RBI.

Lenard’s homer, a two-run shot in the second, was the first of her career.

Chojnacki pitched the first three innings, but came back in relief, to get the win.

Game two was stopped in the sixth with the rain moving in.

Seniors started for head coach Glenn Budnick, but unfortunately there was a different result, as the visitors claimed a 4-1 victory.

Kayla Lenard was 2-for-3 and scored Posen’s only run. The Vikings had only four hits in game two.

Budnick believes the game one performance was the best he has seen out of his defense this year.

“We were throwing base runners out, it seemed like every inning,” said Budnick. “We knew the Soo was going to be a great hitting team, which needed to get us ready because we are going to face a great hitting team in Onaway, who has had our number three times this year.”

Posen and Onaway meet at noon Saturday.

Last Thursday, the 2015 Vikings added another accolade to the banner of the program with a Little Dipper division title. They finished with a 6-0 record following last Thursday’s sweep over Au Gres, 14-1 and 19-4.

In game one, Chojnacki earned the win with two walks and three K’s, while Jolene Reese worked a 1-2-3 fifth.

Hitting-wise, Kayla Lenard was 3-for-4 with a two-run homer, solo homer and four RBI.

Hincka was 3-for-4, including two doubles and four RBI.

Amy Buczkowski was 3-for-3 with a double and four runs scored.

Kaszubowski ripped her first career homer and Ciarkowski added two hits.

Chojnacki earned the win in game two before Reese finished. Both split two innings and allowed eight hits.

Buczkowski was 4-for-4, including two doubles and four RBI. Hincka had two hits and two RBI. Mercedes Kowalski was 2-for-3 with a run knocked in. Chojnacki added a RBI triple; Brandi Chojnacki had a triple and Sam Lenard knocked in two with a hit.

The Vikings swept Hale last Wednesday in a pair of quick games, 14-3 and 18-10.

Chojnacki pitched a three-inning perfect game. She struck out three of the nine batters she faced. Jolene Reese (4 2/3 IN, 2 H, 2 W, 3 K’s) picked up the win in game one.

Buczkowski was 6-for-8 in the double header, including a double, triple and four RBI.

Monica Bartz was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI, while Jenna Hincka had two hits and two RBI. Hunter Kaszubowski was 2-for-2, including a double.  Kayla Lenard had a pair of hits.

Hincka was 2-for-3 with three RBI in the nightcap. Kayla Lenard had two hits and two RBI, while Kaszubowski had a triple and three RBI.

THE CARDINALS wrapped up the home season Friday hosting Inland Lakes. They dropped both games 12-3 and 6-5. They were at Gaylord St. Mary Tuesd

ay but rain caused the suspension of the second game. Results from those games will appear in next week’s Advance.

Elissa Nash pitched game one going six innings allowing nine earned runs on 16 hits and two walks while striking out two.

Ashley LaLonde was 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI. Lexi Szymoniak had a two RBI triple, Jade Galer had a double, Morganne Badgero had a single and Eleana Domke added a single.

Nash took the loss in game two allowing just one earned run on nine hits. Galer was 3-for-3 while Badgero was 2-for-3. LaLonde had a single. Domke and Nash each had a two RBI double.