Posen makes district final for fifth straight year
by Peter Jakey, Managing Editor The Viking softball team earned its fifth straight district final berth, but are still looking for the winning formula against Onaway, who has won the last three district titles. The final score Saturday afternoon in Hillman was 4-2 with the Cardinals moving on to the regional tournament to be played this weekend in Rogers City.
Onaway used the momentum from their thrilling come from behind victory over Rogers City in the semifinals, and some outstanding pitching from junior pitcher Amanda Pomranke, who was perfect through the first 4 2/3 innings, to take control early. The Cardinals scored two runs right out of the gate on back-to-back doubles. ?I THOUGHT WE could have made a couple of plays on defense that we didn?t,? said head coach Glenn Budnick of the first inning. ?Amanda was on top of her game in the pitching circle. She was spotting her pitches very well.?
Onaway added two runs on Danielle Cleaver?s two-run homer down the right field line for a four run advantage. The Posen bats came to life in the fifth with two outs. Pitcher Leanne Buczkowski singled ahead of Emily Delekta?s RBI double to the fence. Anna Couture singled to put two on board, but that?s where the rally ended as the next batter grounded to the pitcher.
Buczkowski kept Onaway in check in the top of the sixth and allowed her teammates one last chance to scratch out a come from behind victory with the top of the order coming up. Christina Bednarski led off with a single, but the next two batters lined and popped out. Lindsay Ponik doubled to the fence to score Bednarski to get Posen within two runs, 4-2. That brought up the Vikings power hitter, Janice Ciarkowski, who sent center fielder Allie Nave to the warning track earlier in the contest. Onaway coach Jodi Brewbaker elected to intentionally walk the shortstop and pitch to Buczkowski, who was one of the hitting heroes in the semifinal win earlier in the day. She flew out to right field.
Posen went down in order in the bottom of the seventh. Buczkowski gave up six hits, three earned runs, and two walks, while striking out one. ?We got beat by a good team,? said Budnick. ?I did tell them, not to say that they are better than us, because I think we are two evenly matched teams, it was just their day.? AGAINST HILLMAN, Bednarski?s first walk of four led to the first run of the game run on a fielder?s choice off the bat of Cheryl Romel.
Starting pitcher Ponik worked out of a jam in the bottom of the first by getting a strikeout with two runners in scoring position. It would be one of a number of situations she would get herself out of. The Vikings did most of their damage in the top of the third with Bednarski leading off with a walk. Two outs later, Ponik brought Bednarski home from first on a RBI single. Ciarkowski walked ahead of Buczkowski?s two-RBI triple to
Hillman came back with one run in the third and two in the fourth. There could have been more damage, though, as the Tigers had runners on second and third with two out, but Ponik got the key strikeout when she needed again. Hillman threatened again in the fifth with runners at second and third with one out, but Ponik got the next two batters on strikes.
Posen fans could breathe a little easier in the top of the seventh when Buczkowski doubled over the right fielder?s head for an insurance run. Buczkowski came home on a throwing error for a 7-3 final. ?We did the things we needed to come out on top and put us in the district final for the fifth year in a row,? said Budnick. Ponik gave up three hits, six walks, but struck out six. The Vikings finished first in the North Star League for the second year in a row with a 13-1 record and 31-6 overall. Bednarski is the lone senior graduating from the club.