STANDISH – Through three innings, it felt like anyone’s game. Standish-Sterling finished the final four innings stronger, however, and the host Lady Panthers handed Tawas Area softball a loss in the two’s Division 3 semifinal game on Saturday, 7-1.
“I thought we played Standish tough through the first (few) innings,” head coach Marcus Doan said. “We had a couple chances early to put some pressure on them but just couldn’t get that hit we needed. By far our best defensive game of the season.
“It may not show that in the stats, but our girls had great defensive effort all game. We turned two double plays that helped us get out of jams, and another double play should have been called in the second, keeping it a 2-1 game. We barreled the ball up well the first two innings, but (Standish pitcher) Addisyn Fetters did what good pitchers do and made adjustments, limiting hard contact.”
Tawas gave up one run in the top of the first inning, and nearly gave up another. With one out and a runner on third base, the Standish batter hit a fly ball to left field. Nora Kassuba tracked the ball down to record the second out, then threw a bullet to the plate in an attempt to retire the base runner who was trying to score. The Standish runner slid head first, but Tawas catcher Eryn Hayes put the tag on her just in time, giving the Braves an exciting inning-ending double play.
Kassuba led off the bottom of the first with a base hit, and after she stole second base, she came in to score on an RBI single by Rowan Davis, to tie the game at 1-1.
Standish scored two runs in the top of the second to take a 3-1 lead, though one of those runs came in another bang-bang play at the plate.
Standish broke the game open with a two-run homer in the fourth and they hit a solo homer in the fifth as well.
Kelsey Look took the loss for Tawas, she went all seven innings and gave up seven runs, five earned on seven hits, three strikeouts and five walks.
Khloe Barringer had three hits for the Braves, Davis had one hit and one RBI and Kassuba also singled.
On Tuesday, May 27 Tawas hosted Division 4’s seventh ranked team Hillman. They lost game one of the North Star League crossover 7-3, but got a nice game two win, 9-5.
Look took the loss in game one, striking out four batters in six innings. Marisol Klinger had one triple, one single and two RBI and Davis had a double and scored twice. Camryn Chatt added one single and she scored once.
Kassuba got the win in game two, she went all six innings and gave up five runs, zero earned on seven hits, two strikeouts and one walk.
Davis had one double and one RBI to lead the offense and Chatt had one single and two RBI. Ellary Warner (one RBI) and Kassuba also singled.
Tawas finished the year 9-1 in the North Star League Big Dipper, tying with Oscoda for a share of the league title.
“First year in a league for Tawas softball and we walked away with a Big Dipper championship,” Doan said. “It was fun to navigate through league opponents and definitely adds another dimension to managing games. I am proud of the season we had and can’t wait for the girls to get league recognition for the work they put in.”