Whiteford softball sweeps Monroe to run record to 24-5-1
MONROE – Monroe and Whiteford have started a tradition of getting each other ready for the state softball tournament.
“It’s really good for both teams,” Whiteford coach Matt VanBrandt said of the late-season doubleheader. “Both teams want to get some work in before districts. This is the third year in a row we’ve done it. It’s a great opportunity to play locally. They are always pretty close games.”
Whiteford got the better of the matchup Saturday, winning 6-3 and 9-3.
“It didn’t go perfectly for either team,” VanBrandt said. “Both of us have a few things to work on.”
Unity Nelson was the winner in the first game, tossing a three-hitter with 11 strikeouts. Karlei Conard led the offense with a pair of doubles among her three hits. She drove in three runs for the 24-5-1 Bobcats.
Conard got the win in the second game and helped her own cause by going 2-for-4 with a double. Brooklyn Mills added two hits, two RBI and two runs.
Ava Chapman and Avery Leach had big hits for Monroe in the first game. Maci Willey went 3-for-4 in the second game and Alana Aulph and Ava Proffitt added two hits each for the 18-16 Trojans.
PREP SOFTBALL
Doane, Imo lift Dundee
DUNDEE – Early offense and a four-hitter was a recipe for success for Dundee’s softball team twice Friday.
Lauren Doane tossed a four-hit shutout in the first game, and Kaylee Imo matched her in the second as the Vikings swept St. Mary Catholic Central 2-0 and 6-0.
Kennedy Irwin was hit by a pitch to start the opener, then rode home on Kiernan Brown’s seventh home run of the season.
The Vikings scored half of their runs in the opening inning of Game 2.
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Irwin again got it started with a walk. She came home on a two-out single by Natalie Rath. Ella Rath singled to score her older sister and scored on a single by Imo.
The Vikings could have scored more.
SMCC outfielders made some really nice diving plays tonight, and Faith Dean robbed a home run,” Dundee coach Mickey Moody said. “Their pitching was very solid. I was impressed with the athleticism of SMCC.”
Dundee will take a 25-10 record into the Division 3 district at Tecumseh on June 1.
“Very proud of this team and the effort they give every day in practice and in the game,” Moody said. “We continue to grow as a team, and it’s fun to watch.”
PREP BASEBALL
Airport, Bedford split
TEMPERANCE – Airport and Bedford tuned up for the state tournament by splitting a doubleheader Saturday.
Bedford earned a 5-2 victory, and Airport won 5-3.
Brody Leonhard had a big game in the Bedford win, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs.
Ty Zapadka added two hits and an RBI, and Nick Coberley and Cade McNamara combined on a four-hitter and did not give up an earned run.
A four-run seventh inning lifted Airport to its win. Colin Nowak, Sean Langton and Jonathan Daniels recorded two hits each to support winning pitcher Bryce Kull for the 25-7 Jets.
Hernandez drives in 10
FLAT ROCK – Anthony Hernandez drove in 10 runs as Flat Rock pounded Redford Thursday 20-10 and 19-4 Saturday.
He finished with five hits.
Evan Szalay finished with six hits. Other big bats were carried by Mike Giroux, Sawyer Scott, Drew Booth and Reagan Engelbert.
Dundee goes 1-2
GIBRALTAR – Dundee (18-13) salvaged the final game of three at three different sites Saturday, beating Gibraltar Carlson 5-2.
Earlier in the day, the Vikings fell 14-4 to Woodhaven and 12-3 to Trenton.
Ryan Zanger and Ethan Layton combined for a no-hitter in Dundee’s win, while Quinton Lephew and Cooper Buhl each had two hits
Evan Bennett doubled against Woodhaven. Carter Ray logged two hits, and Jay Hickey drove in two runs with his first triple of the season against Trenton.
Ex-coach’s son tops Monroe
GRAND RAPIDS – Ty Hudkins, the son of former Monroe football coach Ty Hudkins, went 3-for-4 with a two-run triple to lead Forest Hills Central to a 15-0, 9-6 sweep of Monroe Saturday.
“It was great to see Coach Hudkins, and his son is the spitting image of Greg except a little better,” Monroe coach Chris Clark said.
Ida hits 22 wins
IDA – Ida improved to 22-9 by beating Jefferson 14-10 and 6-4 Friday.
Noah Adkins had two RBIs in each game, and AJ Schrader, Gavin Albring, Dean Thomas and Cam Riggs notched two hits apiece in the opener.
The Blue Streaks took the second game despite being outhit 7-2.
More: District results/pairings for Region baseball, softball, girls soccer
Jefferson got two hits in each game from Keegan Stefko and Cody Byrd. Luke Beaudrie drove in two runs in the first game and rapped out three hits in the second.
Big day for Kreger
ERIE – Cole Kreger went 3-for-4 and drove in six runs in the second game of Erie Mason’s 8-5, 10-4 sweep of Lincoln Park Friday.
Karter Stubleski notched two hits in each game. Other hitting heroes for the Eagles were Xavier Wise, Anderson Moore and Brody Koehl.
TRACK AND FIELD
Saylor wins 400 meters
CLARE – Jess Saylor won the 400 meters in 51.08 to help Whiteford take seventh place in the Division 3 Michigan Interscholastic Track Coaches Association State Team Meet.
Keegan Masters was second in the 1,600 meters and fourth in the 800 and Stepan Masserant third in the pole vault.
Others to place in the top 10 were Ryin Ruddy (low hurdles); Ryan Thomas (high jump); Brek Ruddy (pole vault); Liam Waterford (long jump); the 800 relay of Gaspare Pirrone, Brody Hillard, Antonio Nachtrab and Waterford; 1,600 relay of Nate Andrews, Brody Hillard, Jess Saylor and Ryin Ruddy; and the 3,200 relay of Andrews, Jakub Diesing, Brek Ruddy and Zach Kahn.
Erie Mason finished fourth in the team standings led by Landen Nastale, who was third in the 200 meters and fourth in the 100.
Aaron Koehn was fourth in the shot-put and eighth in the discus, and the 3,200 relay of Parker Campbell, Joseph Calaluca, Zach Worden and Austin Sulier placed third.
Other strong performances for the Eagles came from Parker Campbell (fifth 800), Anderson Kaufman (sixth 400) and Sulie (eighth pole vault).
“The boys competed really great today,” Mason coach Alex Russeau said. “The vast majority placed far higher than their seed.”
Gault is champion
MOUNT PLEASANT – Teddy Gault won the long jump for Summerfield at 19-4.5 and also placed sixth in the high jump in the Division 4 Michigan Interscholastic Track Coaches Association State Team Meet.
Summerfield’s boys placed seventh, and the girls were eighth.
The top finishers for the girls were Makenzie Wolfe (fifth 1,600), Grace Raymond (sixth 800), Bethany Suydam (sixth long jump) and Gabi Myshock (10th discus).
Also in the top 10 for the boys were Austin Taylor (sixth pole vault) and Eli VanHuysen (seventh long jump).
Bedford places ninth
ZEELAND – Bedford placed ninth in the Michigan Interscholastic Track Coaches Association Division 1 state team finals with 723 points Friday.
Rockford won the meet with 1,172.
Jack Durivage had the best finish for the Mules, taking third in the 800 meters. Alex Mapes (low hurdles) and Alex Beck (pole vault) were fourth, Sawyer Ulery (high hurdles) took a fifth and the 3,200 relay of Cameron Varner, Maddi Duke, Nicholas Balla and Durivage finished fifth.
Others with top 10 finishes were Varner (3,200), Isaac Henman (long jump) and Mason Shultz (shot-put).
JUNIOR VARSITY BASEBALL
Huron finishes 17-7
NEW BOSTON – New Boston Huron finished 17-7 by beating Jefferson 14-2 Thursday.
Dom Russo, Max Morse, Tyler Gray, Ty Miller and Colton Kennedy logged two hits each.
GOLF
Burnep shoots ace
TEMPERANCE – Ryan Burnep used a pitching wedge to record a hole-in-one on 136-yard No. 17 hole at Giant Oak Golf Course Saturday.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Local Sports: Whiteford softball trips Monroe; Saylor, Gault champs
