Escanaba holds top spot in LL Majors softball
ESCANABA — Escanaba has secured its place in today’s championship game of the Michigan District 10 Little League softball tournament in the Majors (ages 10-12) division as Iron Mountain and Gladstone vied to reach the final.
On Friday, Gladstone defeated Norway 5-1 and Iron Mountain edged Kingsford 4-3. On Saturday, Escanaba defeated Gladstone 4-2 and Kingsford eliminated Norway with a 9-0 win.
Escanaba advanced to the championship game with an 11-6 win over Iron Mountain on Sunday, while Gladstone eliminated Kingsford 4-1. Gladstone went on to defeat Iron Mountain 12-7 on Monday and will face Escanaba at 5 p.m. Eastern time today at Escanaba’s Lemerand Park.
If Gladstone wins, a final title game will follow at 7 p.m.
In Saturday’s action, Kingsford’s Maci Mae Brooks held Norway hitless for five innings. In the sixth, she allowed singles by Norway’s Olivia DalSanto and Weslea Mach. She fanned nine and walked one while going the distance for her victory.
“The girls picked her up when she needed it,” Kingsford coach Ashley Buckman said. “They’ve worked hard through the season and off-season. We had some nice defensive plays including fly balls in left field. Norway has come a long way. Our area has really grown in softball in general. It has been fun for us to come over here and compete.”
Kingsford collected 11 hits led by Adelyn Bacon, who finished 3-for-3, MaKayla Richards added two hits.
“A lot of our girls hadn’t played together before,” said Norway coach Emily Payette. “I think we just need to gain confidence as batters and as a team. We’re definitely showing improvement and that’s all you can ask of them. She (Brooks) is tough. She has a lot of movement on her pitches.”
Iron Mountain did all its scoring with two out in the sixth while rallying past Kingsford 4-3.
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The Daily News contributed




