First place Vikings host tournament Saturday; can wrap up NSL next week
With four more wins in the North Star League, the Posen softball team can wrap up its second consecutive conference title. The girls are in the driver?s seat after sweeping a pair of one run ballgames against Arenac Eastern last Thursday and overwhelming Fairview on Monday, 21-6 and 10-0. The Vikings are 9-1 in the NSL with sole possession of first place. The two remaining conference doubleheaders are next week against Au Gres (Monday at home) and Atlanta (away next Thursday). After posting a 3-1 record at the Mackinaw City tournament, the Vikes are 17-5 and playing terrific ball, according to coach Glen Budnick.
?THE DEFENSE is tightening up and not making the mistakes that we were making earlier in the season,? said Budnick. ?That was costing us some games.? ?From that standpoint, we?re getting better. We?re starting to hit the ball a lot harder, so right now we?re trying to push ourselves toward that second consecutive conference title and getting ready for districts.?
The Posen softball field, behind the high school building, is the site of the Posen softball tournament Saturday, and Budnick says there should be outstanding pitching in town. One of the visiting schools will be Pellston, who defeated the Vikings in the regional final last year 1-0. The other participating schools will be Harbor Light Christian and Onaway.
THE GAMES against Arenac didn?t fail to meet the hype this year with Posen edging the visiting Eagles, 7-6 and 6-5. With the score of the first game tied at three after four innings, Kyrie Kuffel came through with a RBI single, scoring Amanda Pieczynski to give the red and white a one-run edge. The girls added three insurance runs in the fifth, and they would need every one.
Julie Lewandowski set the stage for the big inning with a single. She was followed by her sister Katie, who got on with a double. Freshmen Pieczynski and Beth Julian came through with clutch RBI?s. Julian had a two-run double.
THAT WAS just a warm-up for the excitement in game two. It appeared as if the Vikings took the momentum of their first game victory into game two as they held a 4-1 advantage halfway through. A more determined Eagle squad chipped away at the lead and tied the contest in the sixth, sending the game into extra frames. In the top of the seventh, Arenac pushed another run across and needed three outs to sew up the split.
The Vikings got things going, though, after having their bats go silent for a couple of innings. Courtney Romel led off with a double and was sacrificed to third. Romel scored on an RBI single by Julie Lewandowski to tie the game at five. In the bottom of the eighth, with one on, Shannon Ciarkowski walked, while Romel singled. Both runners advanced on a bad throw and Michelle Bednarski blistered a double to left-center for the game-winning blow and the sweep.
Bednarski picked up the win on the mound in both games, throwing every inning. Romel was three-for-four, while Katie, Julie and Kuffel each had two hits apiece.
ROMEL THREW a two-hitter and picked up her first varsity win as the Vikes pounded Vanderbilt, 14-1. Romel struck out eight and helped her own cause with a three-hit performance. Ciarkowski added two doubles and three RBI. Ciarkowski was three-for-three with a double while pitching Posen to a 14-3 victory over Harbor Springs. Julie was two-for-three with a triple. Kuffel and Julian both added hits.
The game against Mackinaw City didn?t start well, as the Vikings spotted the host Comets seven runs in the first inning. The girls would still move on to win the ball game, outscoring MC 15-1 the rest of the way. Ciarkowski got the win in relief. She
THE ONLY game the girls lost Saturday was rematch with Mackinaw City in extra innings, 7-5. The players fought from behind again, tying the score at five, but letting the game get away in the top of the seventh. Romel, Ciarkowski, and Kuffel had two hits apiece. Posen dominated Monday?s sweep of visiting Fairview. The Vikes banged out 17 hits on their way to a 15-run victory. Katie provided three hits for the home team, while Pieczynski, Brittany Romel, and Julian each collected a pair.
Romel, after winning her first varsity game on the mound, helped Posen earn its first shutout, while picking up her second win. The Vikings won 10-0. Posen scored seven in the bottom of the fourth. The Vikings played Alcona Wednesday (past press time).