SPORTS COLUMNIST: Peter Jakey

…continued from last week.

It?s been over a week since the Posen softball team lost its first Division IV quarterfinal game to Mason County Eastern, which is a lot of time to look back. The one thing I can?t get out of my mind is the fact that game wasn?t played on Tuesday in Elk Rapids. The outcome may have been the same, but we?ll never know.

I do know, from talking to coach Glenn Budnick, he thought the players were ready to go for the Tuesday game, which was postponed because of heavy rains during the early part of the day. The coach had a similiar feeling before regionals. Budnick said the leaders of his club came in that Saturday morning, before the trip to Mancelona, and said, ?We?re going to do it.? Sure enough, the Vikes went out and dominated Alanson and Bellaire.

MAYBE POSEN would have been more pumped to play on Tuesday than the Wednesday game. I know one thing, the girls played outstanding in adverse weather conditions. There was the teeth-chattering tournament trip to Hillman for districts and the monsoon-soaking afternoon in Mancelona for regionals. Maybe the weather offered that extra distraction.

I know it?s a stretch, and I wouldn?t be dragging more ?what ifs? through the mud if the girls had doubled their hits, but that?s the way it goes. Maybe nerves got a little frayed under the pressure of waiting the extra day. The players didn?t seem to have that same authoritative game at the plate fans were used to seeing, but the pitching wasn?t bad either.

THE DEFENSE was outstanding for Posen. I counted a stretch of 11 batters where Mason County Eastern didn?t get a runner on after MCE took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. That?s nearly four innings without a threat, so the players handled the pressure extremely well. Pitcher Michelle Bednarski, rightfielder Amanda Pieczynski, and first baseman Kyrie Kuffel all made super plays in the field. As a unit, there were no errors. It kept Posen close, as the Vikings scored their only run in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game at one, but after the score was tied, Posen couldn?t get anyone on. That was that.

There were lots of hugs and tears following the final out. Senior Julie Lewandowski, who had an outstanding season in the clean-up role for Posen, sat in the circle around Budnick with the other players, leaning back on her hands on the leftfield grass, wiping an occasional tear from her eyes. As is the case for seniors, the moment when it all comes to an end, is very emotional, but I noticed a freshman without a tear. Did it mean she didn?t care as much? I don?t think so.

I think it?s a matter of the freshmen knowing they have more trips ahead on the tournament trail. For a freshman it?s three more. For seniors, the only trips they?ll have will be as alumni.

FOR ME, THE schedule all of sudden opened up. I had left the entire weekend open in anticipation of a trip to Battle Creek, and when I went looking around at garage sales in Rogers City Saturday, I told my wife it would have been a lot more fun being in Battle Creek. I don?t know if she would totally agree, but that?s the way it goes. With the pressure of the tournament off, I took my time leaving Elk Rapids, touring downtown and grabbing a sub before leaving. On my trip back, I thought I would stop in Gaylord to see how the quarterfinal games were going there, but I guess I took my time a little too much, because the teams were wrapping up and climbing onto buses. There I ran into Rogers City baseball coach Howard Madsen.

?Peter Jakey?? he said, noticing me near the baseball diamond. Madsen updated me on the quarterfinal game between Rudyard and Morley-Stanwood, which turned out to be a strikeoutfest. Both pitchers racked up double-digit counts with Morley, who the Hurons defeated at the beginning of the season, moving on to Battle Creek.

Madsen took great pride in that victory. Morley went on to lose to Blissfield, 3-1 in the title game. Elk Rapids, winners of the regional tournament in Rogers City, lost in its bid to play in Battle Creek at quarters in Gaylord.

IT WAS BACK to my Escort for the last 75 miles of the tournament trail and for the third time in five days I had a chance to listen to the Tigers on WTCM out of Traverse City. I heard Barry Bonds hit a long home run Saturday, and cheered on a team I know little about, play a couple of close games against the Dodgers Tuesday and Wednesday.

I guess that?s one reason I was listening. I?m a little embarrassed because I don?t know who the st

arting leftfielder or shortstop is. I know who played all the positions on the 1984 Tigers, and even the ?Big Red? machine on the mid-1970s, but not this young club. I guess when they finally turn around a decade-and-a-half of fielding losing teams, it will generate more interest for me and other fans.

One promotion I heard about while listening to the game, which caught my attention, was a kids campout day. Kids 14 and under, with their parents, can bring their tents to Comerica June 28 and camp in the outfield after the night game against Arizona. I thought that would be kind of neat so I called on it Monday.

?Sold out,? the voice on the other end of the line told me. I had kept that day open on my calender, but plans change pretty fast. Another trip downstate thwarted. Maybe next year.