Skyline knocked off Brighton 4-1 in the first game of the Skyline District on Saturday before rain interfered and forced a change in plans. During the second game, Howell was leading Dexter 4-0 in the fourth inning when rain ended the afternoon’s schedule.
The Dexter-Howell game will resume at 4:30 p.m. on Monday at Skyline. The Eagles will play the winner following the conclusion of that game.
The Eagles went on the offensive from the get-go against the Bulldogs. Nyeli Kratz doubled on a 3-2 count to drive home two runs in the top of the first inning. Brighton did get one back in the bottom of the first.
Skyline scored two more runs in the top of the fifth inning with an RBI from Madison Westhoven (two runs scored) and another RBI from Gabby Toth (2-for-3 at the plate). Madie Czjaka had a hit, run scored and a walk. Isabel Wroten also had a hit in the win. Kratz, Toth and Westhoven all had doubles against the Bulldogs.
Mayah Alam was outstanding in the circle for the Eagles. She allowed four hits and one run over seven innings, striking out 10 with no walks to earn the victory.
In the second game of the day, Howell scored one in the first, two in the third and one in the fourth to take a 4-0 lead over the Dreadnaughts. Howell’s Molly Carney has eight strikeouts and hasn’t allowed a hit over the first four innings.
Saline District
This is the time of year where one swing of the bat can be the difference between going home or going on to another game. Franny Schulenberg’s swing of the bat on Saturday not only resulted in a double and not only plated the winning run but most importantly sent the Pioneer softball team to the District final.
With Pioneer and Saline deadlocked at 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh inning in a District semifinal game, Schulenberg doubled home the winning run to give the Pioneers a 3-2 win over the Hornets. Pioneer advanced to the championship but fell victim – like many other teams in the area – to Mother Nature as rained wiped out many games throughout Southeastern Michigan in the afternoon on Saturday.
The second game of the Saline District between Belleville and Lincoln was deadlocked at 2-2 in the third inning when the rain arrived. That semifinal game will begin at 1 p.m. on Monday with the finals at 3 p.m. at Saline.
Early in the season, Saline swept Pioneer 10-8 and 12-3. But a lot has changed since April 15 and the Pioneers responded with an impressive win on Saline’s field.
After the Hornets scored a run in the second, Pioneer scored in the bottom of the frame to tie the game at 1-1. The same thing happened in the fifth and neither team scored again until Schulenberg’s double in the bottom of the seventh.
Mimi Maixner went the distance for the Pioneers. The senior allowed eight hits but only one earned run, one walk with four strikeouts.
Rory Campbell had a hit and an RBI; Maixner had a hit and an RBI; Ella Roberts walked twice; Lizzie Kuras had a hit and run scored; and Ceci Maixner had a hit and two runs scored. Schulenberg also had two walks in the game.
