Lakers, Portagers split lopsided series
By DYLAN SAVELA
Manistee News Advocate Sports Writer
Published: Saturday, May 21, 2011
BEAR LAKE — Fans who may have left early
from Friday’s doubleheader in Bear Lake, probably would have figured
the Lakers had a series sweep all but locked up.
The Lakers and Portagers split their West Michigan D League
doubleheader in a tale of two games, each winning (and losing) a
lopsided affair. Bear Lake secured a 13-5 win in the opener after
jumping to a comfortable 12-1 lead in the first three innings,
before the Portagers bounced back strong in the nightcap, with a
15-0 mercy-rule in three innings.
With solid backing defense, Onekama’s Emily Bergren no-hit the
Lakers’ order in game two.
“That actually started the first game,” Onekama coach Phil
Sedelmaier said of his team’s performance in the nightcap. “We gave
up a few runs the first three innings (of the opener) and then we
kind of just settled down and started playing some good defensive
ball.
“I told the kids before the game started that our goal at this
point, it doesn’t matter what the score is either way, we’re playing
to get better for the districts,” he added. “We started out a little
bit shaky, we reiterated that goal midway through the first game and
then came back down 12-1 and scored four late runs to keep it from
being a mercy. Then, we just built from there into the second game.
And in that one, we just came out ready to play.”
In the opener, Bear Lake (11-14, 5-7 WMD) scored at a steady pace in
the first three innings, plating three runs in the first, four in
the second and five in the third.
The Lakers’ Madeleine Smeltzer, Sara Babcock and Hannah Harrington
each had two hits and two RBIs while Katelyn Adams batted 2-for-4.
Sarah Hilliard had a solid start on the mound, striking out five
Onekama batters.
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With a mercy looming, the Portagers added to
their first-inning run with one in the fourth and three in the fifth to
force a full six innings.
“We ended up making a few adjustments in the field,” Sedelmaier said,
“but other than that the girls, I think, just settled in and started
playing good defense.”
Bergren had four strikeouts on the mound in the opener for Onekama,
while Kaitlin Kubiskey led the way on offense, batting 2-for-3.
Also at the plate for the Portagers, Nicole
Slater and Jennica Mathieu each had a hit and two RBIs while Carly Clark
and Ashley DeRooy each had a hit.
In the nightcap, the Portagers came out with purpose at the plate.
While batting through the order, Onekama (7-14, 6-6 WMD) plated seven
runs in the first inning. In the second, they plated one, and with
another seven-run inning in the third, the mercy rule came into effect.
“Emily did a good job the second game of getting ahead of the batters
and staying there,” Sedelmaier said of Bergren’s second no-hitter this
season, citing her four strikeouts in the nightcap. “And the defense
really helped her out back there too.”
Errors in the field hurt Bear Lake in the nightcap, by keeping them on
the field. And the Lakers were unable to find the same rhythm they had
at the plate in the opener.
“Only thing I’m going to say is I was very disappointed in the second
game,” said Bear Lake coach Garrett Waller. “I don’t know really what
else to say. We couldn’t get the bats going. They hit, and we didn’t.
And the errors in the field just snowball into hits and runs. I saw a
lot more enthusiasm in the first few innings of the first game.”
Onekama got hits from everyone in the lineup in game two, as Ashley
DeRooy led the way batting 3-for-3 with a double and four RBIs, Kaylan
Fitch had two hits and three RBIs, Brooke Sedelmaier had two hits,
including a double, with two RBIs, Kubiskey had a pair of hits and a
pair of RBIs, Bergren had two hits with an RBI, Slater had two hits,
Sierra Warner had a hit and an RBI and Mathieu had a hit with three runs
scored. |