Coopersville stuns Oakridge in regional softball semifinal with four-run walk-off rally

SPRING LAKE — Oakridge’s softball team had secured 18 outs against Coopersville and held a three-run lead in the bottom of the seventh inning of a Division 2 regional semifinal Saturday at Spring Lake.

Three outs away from a berth in the regional finals.

Then Coopersville’s bats, which were relatively quiet all morning, came to life. The Broncos rallied for four runs and pulled off a stunning, 5-4 walk-off victory over Oakridge and ending the Eagles’ season abruptly.

Oakridge wraps up another highly successful season with a 29-10 overall record. The Eagles were undefeated West Michigan Conference Lakes Division champions as well as district champs.

Coopersville lost to Hudsonville Unity Christian, 9-1, in the regional final Saturday afternoon. Unity Christian rolled past Forest Hills Eastern, 15-0 in three innings, in the other regional semifinal.

In Coopersville’s dramatic comeback against Oakridge, the Broncos strung together two singles and took advantage of an error, then Hunter Near connected for a clutch double to drive home two and cut their deficit to 4-3.

After an intentional walk to Broncos catcher Maddie Miller to set up a potential double play, Natalee Beck stepped up and stroked a double down the left-field line to score the tying and winning runs.

The sweet taste of victory turned into the bitter tasted of defeat for the Eagles.

Oakridge sophomore Kylee Willea was on target, giving up just three hits, walking one and striking out six in six innings. Coopersville’s sixth inning started with a leadoff double by Paige Arthur. However, Willea was able to get the next hitter to pop out and struck out the next two.

Things were looking promising — that is, until the bottom of the seventh.

The day started off with such promise for the Eagles as slugging Brenna Cabrera got on board after a miscue in the Broncos outfield. Andrea Romero-Serrano followed with a single and Madison Clark laced another single to load the bases.

That would bring up junior Ahria Doornbos, who drove in Cabrera with a single. Doornbos went 4-for-4, all singles, and drove in three of the four Eagles runs on the day.

It looked like it may be the Eagles’ day early. In the bottom of the first inning, Willea’s twin sister, Gracie, made a diving catch in center field on a fast-sinking ball off the bat of Bronco leadoff hitter Ella Showers. Coopersville was able to tie the game with back-to-back doubles by Near and Maddie Miller.

Oakridge struck two more times in the top of the third. With one out, Cabrera walked. After an infield pop out, Madison Clark singled for the second time in the game. Cabrera and Clark rode home on singles by Doornbos and Gracie Clark, making the score 3-1 in favor of Oakridge going into the bottom of the third.

The Eagles got what looked to be an insurance run in the top of the seventh when Romero-Serrano led off with a double and scored on Doornbos’ fourth single of the day.

After the game, veteran Oakridge coach Joe Coletta rounded up the girls one final time and gave a talk filled with the emotion that only a coach who saw his girls give all he asked of them all year could give.

He made a special point of talking about the lone senior on the team, Romero-Serrano, who led by example and hustle and was a huge part of continuing the string of seven consecutive league championships with the Eagles winning over 100 conference games during that run.

Highlights from the game:

• Ahria Doornbos 4-4, three RBI
• Kylee Willea pitching six strong innings, six strikeouts and one walk
• Andrea Romero-Serrano single, double and scored a run
• Madison Clark two hits and scored a run
• Gracie Willea 4 put-outs in centerfield with a single and stolen base