Aubrey Jones puts homer off the CMU scoreboard, puts Gaylord in the D2 state semifinals
MOUNT PLEASANT ― Every game so far this postseason, the Gaylord softball team has started with a number written on a sticky note placed atop the lineup sheet. The number signifies how many games are between them and a state title, and every time they win, the top note is pulled off to reveal the new magic number.
They entered the Margo Jonker Stadium at Central Michigan University on Friday, June 13 with a three on their board.
They left with a two.
Gaylord met Hudsonville Unity Christian in Mount Pleasant, Mich. in the state quarterfinals, the same team the Blue Devils team saw in the quarterfinals in their last trip there in 2021.
Last time, it took a walk-off home run off the scoreboard from then-freshman Taylor Moeggenberg to seal their trip to the semis; this time around, it was sophomore Aubrey Jones putting a two-run home run off the scoreboard in the sixth inning that proved to be the difference in the Blue Devils' 4-1 victory, pushing them onto the Division 2 semifinal round in East Lansing.
The game was a scoreless, pitcher's duel until the bottom of the third inning, where the Blue Devils struck for two runs thanks to a passed ball that scored Hali Lenartowicz and an RBI single from Alexis Shepherd. That score stood until the top of the fourth, when an error to start the Crusaders' half of the inning ended up coming around to score on an RBI single, trimming Gaylord's lead to 2-1.
The lead could have been 3-1 had the Blue Devils capitalized on Aubrey Jones's double in the bottom half of the fourth, but a slight hesitation on a squeeze-bunt attempt left her stranded at third base. A rare baserunning mistake, Jones took ownership of it and knew she wanted to pay her teammates back.
"I wanted to make the most of my opportunity," said Jones "I should have scored, so I just wanted to make it up to my team and do what I could."
She certainly made the most of her next opportunity. And a dent in the Margo Jonker Stadium scoreboard.
Jones launched a two-run home run off the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth inning, her nineteenth of the season and her fourth of the postseason, pushing the Gaylord lead to 4-1 and essentially sealing the victory. Avery Parker shut down the top half of the seventh for Unity Christian, and the Blue Devils punched their tickets to East Lansing.
Just a sophomore, Jones wasn't on the team the last time Gaylord was in the state semifinals; rather, she was a part of the crowd watching her sister and future teammates chase the Division 2 crown in 2021.
Now, she is more than excited for her chance to chase it with them.
"Last time they went there, I was so pumped," said Jones. "This time I get to be a part of it, so I'm just super excited to be able to have this opportunity with my team."
Jones led the way with the two-run homer and the double, posting two hits, two RBI and a run scored. Parker, meanwhile, pitched a fantastic game, allowing one unearned run and three hits while striking out six batters.
Now moving on in the bracket, Gaylord is set to take on Dearborn Divine Child on Thursday, June 15 after the Falcons topped Trenton 11-3 at Adrian College on Tuesday. However, with the way the top-ranked Blue Devils are playing, opponents don't mean much; if they play to their standard, they are usually better than any team in the state.
Jones concurs.
"We are the best team in the state, and we're going to show that," said Jones. "We work harder than any other team out here so we just want to play our standard, and it works out pretty well."
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Aubrey Jones puts homer off the CMU scoreboard, puts Gaylord in the D2 state semifinals
