06/09/2006

Prep Softball Playoff Preview

West set for first regional

BY JEFF PEEK

jpeek@record-eagle.com

TRAVERSE CITY — It's a diamond vs. diploma dilemma.

Nine seniors on the Traverse City West softball team face a difficult decision this week: graduate with their class on Saturday morning or take part in another graduation of sorts — their team's ascension to the regional playoffs for the first time in the program's history.

Six have decided play in the Division 1 regional at Bay City Central. Three will walk with their class.

"I left it up to them," said West coach Gary Powell, whose team takes on Mount Pleasant in the opener at 10 a.m. "We did what we could, but (officials) wouldn't switch the time of the games.

"So I told the kids, 'Here are you options. Let me know what you decide.'

"My heart goes out to the parents," he said. "Graduation is such a family affair and here we are making them have to chose.

"Last year the baseball team faced the same thing. It's just the way it goes."

Powell said the six players who won't attend graduation ceremonies will be honored at midnight at the senior class party. Until then, their minds will be elsewhere — like making the trip worth the trouble.

West (23-13) and Mount Pleasant have faced each other three times already this spring, including the season opener. Mount Pleasant won the first game 9-0 before the Titans rallied to win the second, 3-1. The Oilers used five unearned runs to defeat West 7-2 in a tournament at Mount Pleasant last month.

"I think we have a real good shot at them," Powell said. "We know them, and we're pretty evenly matched."

Powell said he expects both of his "bookend" pitchers to see action. Junior Molly Valleau had a 1.29 earned-run average and averaged 1.2 strikeouts per inning. Senior Grace O'Malley has a 2.00 ERA and is averaging 1.0 strikeout per inning. Both throw 55-56 miles per hour.

O'Malley, who hits third in the batting order, has the best average on the team and is the first four-year varsity player in the program's history. Valleau, who hits fourth, has more power and will join O'Malley as a four-year starter when she is a senior next year.

"They're about as close in ability as you can get," Powell said.

Sydney Allgaier, a junior shortstop, bats .394 and is the Titans' leadoff hitter.

If the Titans win, they will play Flushing or Grand Blanc in the championship.

DIVISION 2

Two other Big North Conference teams will join TC West in the regionals with the hope of eliminating each other.

In the Division 2 regional opener at Essexville-Garber, BNC champion Petoskey (29-11) takes on Cadillac (11-14). The winner will play Pinconning or Midland-Bullock Creek in the title contest.

DIVISION 3

League rivals are also in the same regional in Division 3, but they can only face each other in the regional final.

Lake Michigan Conference champion Kalkaska, which finished 14-0 in the league and has won 36 consecutive LMC games over three seasons, plays Gladstone in the opener at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Middle School in Traverse City.

The Blazers (25-7) have won three straight district titles and four in coach Rik Ponstein's five years at the helm.

Senior Kaitlyn Raymond will take the mound with a 22-3 record and a 1.97 ERA.

Kalkaska's offense is led by two more seniors who bat 4-5 in the order — catcher Raeann Lupo and right fielder Kaley Babcock.

Lupo, who will play softball at Grand Rapids Community College next year, is hitting .609 and has not struck out this season. Babcock is hitting .447 and has a strong arm.

The Blazers start seven seniors.

Gladstone (29-11) has won four consecutive district crowns and won the Division 3 state championship in 2004.

Four Braves have played all four years — shortstop K.C. Blahnik (.500 batting average), first baseman Anna Lillie, third baseman Bobbi Jo Taylor (8-for-8 in the district tournament) and pitcher Katie Lindahl.

"We're going in with a lot of confidence," Ponstein said. "If we play well defensively, I think we have a shot."

Host TC St. Francis (24-10) takes on Whittemore-Prescott (29-8) in the other game.

The Gladiators started the season 6-6 before reeling off wins in 18 of their last 22 games despite losing pitchers Nikki Hastings (broken thumb) and DeLynne Montroy (stress fracture in her leg) to injuries.

Junior varsity call-up Rachel Overmeier pitched in until Hastings returned with six games left in the regular season.

Top hitters for the Gladiators are junior shortstop Jill Kuhlman and junior left fielder Julia Banducci, who hit 3-4 in the order. Kuhlman is batting .404 and Banducci is hitting .378 with power.

"The biggest reason for our start is we had such big turnover from last year," said St. Francis coach Mike Doriot. "These girls had sticker shock. They weren't used to the speed of the pitching at the varsity level. It took some time."

DIVISION 4

Two solid local teams square off in the Division 4 regional opener at Frankfort — the host Panthers, who are 34-3 and ranked second in the state, and Lake Leelanau St. Mary's, which is 23-9 and is coming off a thrilling extra-innings victory over Glen Lake in the district final.

Frankfort cruised in its district, as pitcher Jenny Elliott allowed only one hit while throwing shutouts in both games. Leading hitters for the Panthers, who plated 21 runs, are Brenna Banktson, Nicole Marshall, Brooke Mallory, Nicole Fewins, Allison Webber, Bree Beyette and Elliott.

The Eagles will counter with the 1-2 pitching combination of Samantha Garthe and Susan Herman. Leading hitters are Angie Schlueter and Krystal Lingaur.

Mesick, coming off its first district title since 2003, plays Mason County Eastern in the other semifinal. The Bulldogs (5-27) nearly doubled their season win total with two district victories — 14-4 over Bear Lake and 11-1 over Buckley.

Two more area teams play in the Division 4 regional at Rogers City — Ellsworth and Gaylord St. Mary.

The Lancers (25-5) needed nearly five hours to defeat Harbor Light Christian in the district championship, winning 3-2 when Liz Peterson doubled home Kysha Keehn in bottom of the 21st inning. The game was the second longest in MHSAA history.

Ellsworth's Andrea Hoekwater pitched all 21 innings, allowing 10 hits and just one walk while striking out 24.

Gaylord St. Mary (23-10) takes on Posen in the other game. The Snowbirds outscored their opponents 27-0 in the district to claim their third straight crown under coach Len McHugh.

Senior pitcher Jackie Burzynski led the way. She received offensive support from Kate Spyhalski, Abi Brink, Angie Kuras, Samantha Dunn, Rachel Norman, Brittney Oehlers and Stephanie Issacson.