Softball season ends for RCHS at districts
Tears of sadness flowed from players and fans alike as the Huron softball season came to a stunning end in Onaway. The Inland Lakes Bulldogs took advantage of rare Huron errors to take a 3-2 win in the opening game of the district tournament.
Trailing 2-1 heading into the seventh inning, Rogers City scratched out a run to tie the score heading into the bottom of the final frame. Senior first baseman Theresa Bellmore rapped her second hit of the game, a solid single up the middle, to lead off the Huron seventh. Katie Krueger came on to pinch run.
Angie Asam sacrificed Krueger to second, and the Hurons had the table set. Cassy Brege delivered, belting a double, scoring Krueger with the tying run. Alison Schuiteman?s grounder to short was bobbled, and Brege rounded the bag at third halfway to home, before turning back. The next two batters struck out and popped out, ending the rally.
THE END came quickly in the bottom of the inning. The leadoff batter singled, setting up another bunting situation and disaster for the Hurons. The Bulldog batter laid down a perfect bunt in front of the plate. As the runner broke for second, the throw went into rightfield, and the Bulldog runner made her way around the bases for the winning run. ?We knew it was going to be a tough game, because we just had a tough doubleheader with them 10 days ago,? said Huron coach Karl Grambau.
?We came into the game confident. They got up on us early, and then we battled back. Then they got up on us again, and we battled back in a pretty exciting top of the seventh to tie it, but then they went out and got the winning run.?
INLAND LAKES grabbed the early lead, scoring an unearned run off Rachel Brege in the first inning. With two out, Brege?s third strike pitch got by Asam, putting a runner on first. A throwing error advanced the runner to second, before an RBI single brought her home. Rogers City tied the game at 1-1 in the third inning. With one out, senior right fielder Alison Schuiteman walked and Lindsey Fleming bunted for a hit. After DH C.J. Calabrese struck out, senior second baseman Megan Grulke came through with a clutch RBI single to score Schuiteman. Rogers City threatened, but failed to score in the fourth inning. With one out, Bellmore singled, and Asam bunted for a hit. Then misfortune struck as Cassy Brege nailed a line shot to shortstop, who turned it into a double play.
A single, sacrifice, and another single in the bottom of the fourth gave the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead. Rachel Brege went all seven innings, allowing one earned run while striking out four. In typical fashion for her, she walked none, and allowed just four hits. Grambau and assistant coach Mike Grulke had the unenviable task of consoling a team whose goals were set high for a long run in the tournament.
?It doesn?t take away from our season. We?ve had a great year, but right now it hurts. It just shows, with the tears, just how badly we really wanted to win,? Grambau s
HE PRAISED the work of the seniors who had put much effort into Huron softball. They are Renee Romel, Theresa Bellmore, Megan Grulke, Angie Asam, Alison Schuiteman, and Rachel Brege. ?This wasn?t the finish we wanted to see, but I would like to thank all the girls for their hard effort and hard work,? Grambau said.
?My coaching staff has done a great job. My coaching staff is much more experienced than me and I learned a lot from them and I?ve learned a lot from the seniors.
?The kids kind of taught me as we went. It has been a lot of fun. It is just too bad it had to end with this game,? he said.
Last week in games played with Posen, the Hurons defeated the Vikings 10-0 and 3-2. Calabrese tossed a three-hitter in five innings of work in the opener. Bellmore had three hits, and three RBI, and blasted a home run. Ashley Fleming had two hits, two RBI and hit a homer. Megan Grulke added two hits. Fleming pitched in the second game, striking out six, walking five and allowing three hits. In the bottom of the sixth, with the Hurons trailing 2-1, Fleming hit a homer to tie the score. Cassy Brege then tripled and scored on Lindsey Fleming?s bunt single. Rogers City finishes the season with a 28-7 record.