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Alpena holds off Redettes in districts

By Journal Sports Staff

TRAVERSE CITY — Alpena broke open a one-run game in the fifth inning to take a 6-1 victory over Marquette in an MHSAA Division 1 softball district tournament semifinal played Friday.

The Redettes, who finished their season at 9-19-1, ran into a slick-fielding team that thwarted several scoring rallies.

“Alpena is traditionally a strong program that wins 20 or 30 games a year, and they’re known for playing solid defense,” MSHS coach Paul Seibert said. “I thought we played really well, especially considering how we’ve been down with injury issues most of the season.”

The Wildcats, who went on to win the district title with a 12-4 win over Traverse City Central later in the day, scored two runs in the top of the first vs. Marquette.

“They hit a couple of balls hard that we misplayed,” Seibert said.

But the Redettes answered with a run in the bottom of the inning when Kaleigh Duncan scored on an RBI single by Sofia van den Ende.

Marquette second baseman Maiya King helped keep the deficit down to one run in the top of the third when she snagged a line drive and doubled off a runner with a throw to first base to end that threat.

Then in the bottom of the inning, Marquette loaded the bases only to see the rally end when the Alpena rightfielder snagged a liner.

“She made a nice catch,” Seibert said. “If we could’ve taken the lead there, that probably changes the complexion of the game.”

Instead, Alpena kept a 2-1 lead and added four more runs two innings later when the Wildcats’ No. 9 hitter cracked a two-run double, the start of three straight hits that brought four runs home in the fifth.

Duncan, van den Ende and Rayna Warchock had singles for MSHS, while Emily Vivian went 2 for 2 with two RBIs, Abbie Funk 2 for 3 with a triple and RBI, and Emma Fraser hit two doubles and collected an RBI for Alpena.

Losing hurler Megan McIntire went all seven innings for Marquette, striking out four while walking none.

Winning pitcher Jade Schultz fanned 10 while walking one.

In the day’s other semifinal, TC Central defeated TC West 3-1.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.

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