Defense, solid hitting lift Onekama to sweep over Baldwin

Onekama senior Chelsea Miller picked up a pair of wins on the mound for the Portagers after pitching all 10 innings.

Brooke Sedelmaier and Ambir Parmelee led the way for Onekama at the plate with three hits apiece, Paige Rutowski and Ashley Schultz each went 2-3, while Kaite Prielipp and Jennica Mathieu both went 1-2.

“We had a lot of first-game jitters, a lot of errors,” said Baldwin coach Bob Hilts. “We had that week off on spring break and we kind of ran out of gas with our pitching.”

In the first game, the Panthers (0-2) scored a pair of runs in the top of the first inning for the early lead, but the Portagers (2-0) stormed back in the bottom of the frame with five runs, led by a two-run triple by Mathieu in her first varsity at bat.

Baldwin scored a run in the top of the second, but Onekama came back with eight runs in the fourth to close the scoring.

The nightcap was a bit closer, as both teams scored a pair of runs in the first inning, and Onekama went into the fourth clinging to a 3-2 lead.

Baldwin was threatening, with runners on the corners and only one out, but Prielipp snagged a line drive at second base and turned the double play to end the inning.

“That’s big,” said Phil Sedelmaier. “They did it with just pure heads-up ball. (Katie) did a good job. We just played good defense.”

Prielipp recorded 10 outs in the second game to lead the defensive charge, while Brooke Sedelmaier and Nikki Slater both had a pair of hits. Rutowski had a double, while Shultz, Lexi Howard and Diamond Kimpel each had a hit.

Baldwin pitcher Mercedes Page recorded nine strikeouts in the second game, but the Portagers finally got to her in the fifth inning, plating five runs to close the scoring.

“Some of the girls were a little thrown off by the gals’ pitching motion,” Sedelmaier said. “But, they settled down and started hitting the ball.”