Photos by Stephenie Gale Vanderputte for CatchMark
Several West Michigan Conference softball teams were in action Saturday (June 3) in district tournaments.
Here is a roundup of the games reported to CatchMark SportsNet:
DIVISION 2 AT FREMONT
Oakridge captured a Division 2 district title for the sixth time in seven years by earning a 5-3 semifinals win over Grant and routing Whitehall 26-4 in a five-inning finals matchup of WMC Lakes Division opponents.
Oakridge (29-9) advances to face Coopersville in a regional semifinal at 10 a.m. next Saturday (June 10) at Spring Lake. Hudsonville Unity Christian and Forest Hills Eastern square off in the other regional semifinal.
Here are details from the district at Fremont:
- Oakridge’s Kylee Willea won a pitcher’s duel vs. Grant’s Emma Bliss in the semifinals. Willea allowed three hits with 11 strikeouts and no walks over seven innings. Bliss allowed six hits with six strikeouts and four walks in six innings. Oakridge coach Joe Coletta said Willea was “exceptional.”
- Madi Clark and Rylee Vanderputte each had two singles and one RBI for Oakridge against Grant. Vanderputte’s run-scoring single put the Eagles up 5-3 in the sixth inning.
- Andrea Romero-Serrano had a single and an RBI for the Eagles against the Tigers.
- “Grant is a good team that has had a nice season,” Coletta said. “They battled us from start to finish. We were able to capitalize on a few things and that was the difference in the game.”
- In the game against Whitehall, Kaelinn Jozsa picked up the for Oakridge. She allowed five hits and struck out one. Jozsa also hit her 15th home run of the season, which is an Eagles record.
- The story for Oakridge against Whitehall was that the Eagles finished with 24 hits.
- Vanderputte continued her big day for Oakridge with a single, double, home run (first of her career) and six RBIs in the district title game.
- Ahria Doornbos had a four-hit game, including a pair of doubles, plus four RBIs.
- Brenna Cabrera had four singles and four RBIs for Oakridge against Whitehall, while Madi Clark singled four times and drove in three runs.
- Amelia Luft singled twice for Oakridge against Whitehall.
- No stats or details were reported by Whitehall, which rolled past Howard City Tri County, 18-0 in three innings, in the district semifinals.
DIVISION 2 AT BIG RAPIDS
Ludington fell to district host Big Rapids, 18-0 in four innings, in a semifinal. The Orioles see their season end with a 4-20 record.
Big Rapids went on to defeat Gladwin, 4-1, in the district finals. Gladwin beat Ogemaw Heights, 7-1, in the other semifinal.
Big Rapids advances to face top-ranked Gaylord in next Saturday’s regional.
Here are details from the Ludington-Big Rapids game:
- Ludington did not have a hit in the contest.
- Madelyn Kenyon pitched the first 1 1/3 innings for Ludington and the final 2 1/3. She allowed nine hits, struck out one and walked 11.
- “Big Rapids is a very good team,” Ludington coach Sierra Holmes said. “They have won a lot of games this year and were definitely the district favorite going into today. They put a lot of presure on us, and their pitchers really shut us down offensively.”
DIVISION 3 AT RAVENNA
Ravenna rolled past Montague in the district semifinals, 15-0 in three innings, before the Bulldogs defeated Kent City in the finals, 4-1.
CLICK HERE for complete coverage from the district at Ravenna.
Courtesy photos
DIVISION 3 AT HART
Hart captured a Division 3 district championship for the third straight year. The Pirates beat Shelby 24-0 in three innings in the semifinals, then they defeated Mason County Central 10-7 in the finals.
Hart advances to the Traverse City St. Francis regional next Saturday (June 10), where the Pirates will face Kingsley in the 10 a.m. semifinals.
No details or stats were submitted from this district.
DIVISION 4 AT HESPERIA
Holton won a Division 4 district title for the eighth time in 10 years Friday, making quick work of Hesperia (15-0) and Mason County Eastern (22-0) in a pair of three-inning games.
CLICK HERE for complete coverage.
