Hurons go 3-1 on the week with 2 shut out wins
by Angie Asam, Staff Writer
The Rogers City Hurons varsity softball team hosted the Hillman Tigers Friday at Gilpin Memorial Field and swept the Tigers 3-0 and 4-0 with one big inning in each game. ?Our pitching against Hillman was fantastic and we had two big innings at the plate to sweep the Tigers. Overall we are playing very good softball. Our kids work very hard and their hard work is paying off,” said coach Karl Grambau.
Sammie Brege took the mound in game one and set a precedent in the first inning as she struck out three Tigers hitters before the Hurons had a turn to bat. The Hurons however were unable to score in that first inning. Brege would continue her dominance of Tiger hitters and Rogers City would keep working to manufacture a run as the score entering the bottom half of the fifth inning remained 0-0.
In the bottom of the fifth, Huron left fielder Erika Kuznicki would single to begin the inning, Katie Darga followed with a bunt single and Emily Marx would reach on an error to load the bases for junior Katie Tulgestke. Tulgestke would change the game with one swing of the bat as she singled to bring in two runs. Tulgestke would reach second on the throw and the Hurons would add one more to take the 3-0 lead.
That was all Brege would need as she would go the distance on the mound striking out nine Tigers, giving up just two hits and walking none. Greta Grambau had two hits in the win. Tulgestke had one hit with two critical RBI and Brege, Shelby Schleben, Kuznicki and Darga each added a hit. Game two would be much the same as the Hurons would play good defense behind good pitching until the bottom of the third inning when they were able to break the game open. Marx led off with a walk, Logan Schuiteman sacrificed her to second base. Tulgestke again came up with a chance to give the Hurons a run and she again singled to score Marx giving the Hurons a 1-0 lead.
The Hurons would not stop there, however, as Sara Carpenter would reach base on an error followed by a Grambau single to score both Tulgestke and Carpenter and extend the lead to 3-0. Grambau would later score on an error to make the lead 4-0, where it would stay the remainder of the game.
Just as Brege dominated from the pitching mound in game one, Schuiteman seemed to pick up right where she left off as she pitched the complete game giving up just three hits, striking out 11 Tiger hitters and walking just one. Rogers City scored four runs on just three hits, one each by Tulgestke, Marx and Grambau.
?We just put the ball in play and kept battling. We were very happy to get the two shutout wins. As well as our pitchers were throwing, one run would have been enough for us to win those games,? said coach Grambau. LAST THURSDAY the Hurons traveled to Gaylord where they earned a split with the Blue Devils.
Rogers City would take a 1-0 lead after the first inning in game one, but Gaylord would tie it in the second inning to make the score 1-1. Rogers City would score one in the fifth to take the 2-1 lead and the score would stay that way until the seventh. In the bottom of the seventh the Hurons took the field looking to shut down the Blue Devils for the win but Gaylord responded with two unearned runs to win the game 3-2 over the Hurons.
Brege started the game from the mound going five innings, giving up one unearned run on four hits, four strikeouts and four walks. Schuiteman would come in to start the sixth and take the loss giving up two unearned runs on one hit, one strikeout and two walks. Carpenter led the charge at the plate with two hits and an RBI while Kuznicki added two hits as well. Tulgestke had a hit and an RBI while Marx, Schuiteman, Brege, Grambau and Darga each added hits as well.
Rogers City would battle back in the second game and leave no questions as they defeated the Blue Devils 13-2 to avenge the heartbreaking loss. Schuiteman took the win going two innings giving up two runs on four hits, one strikeout and three hit batters. Brege would pitch the remaining three innings giving up just one hit and striking out three.
Tulgestke had three hits and four RBI, Grambau had two hits with three RBI and Schuiteman, Marx, Linnea Brege, Erika Kuznicki, Meagan Koss and Darga each had one hit in the win.
?The 3-2 loss at Gaylord was a tough one. The girls were upset after that loss and we came back to mercy them in five innings. That showed a lot about this team: They were upset with how they lost that game and they showed it by stepping it up in the second game. I am happy with the response, I am really impressed with how strong we came back. All of the runs were unearned. We should have won both games,? said coach Grambau.
The Hurons host Petoskey today (Thursday) and will face Andi Gasko, an all-state pitcher, one of the premiere pitchers in the state across all divisions. The Hurons are in town this weekend for the annual State Farm Tournament. Action Saturday will begin at 10 a.m. with Posen playing Oscoda followed by Rogers City against Sault Ste. Marie. The consolation game will follow that and the championship game is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. The Hurons will also be home Monday as the Alpena Wildcats come to town for a doubleheader.