Jonesville baseball and softball sweep home openers against Vandercook Lake
JONESVILLE — A favorable matchup, combined with the atmosphere of a home opener, helped propel the Jonesville softball and baseball teams to dominating wins over Cascades opponent Vandercook Lake.
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It was an impressive bounceback sweep for the Comets after they both lost their doubleheader to Blissfield over the weekend. Coach Corey Rogers and the Comet baseball team had a favorable matchup, with limited numbers for Vandercook Lake contributing to a one-sided affair, especially in the second of the two matchups. The Comets won game one in a 16-0 final and game two in a 15-0 final.
A perfect game for junior Drew Bradley in a shortened game one and a no-hitter for senior Micah Calligan in game two were the key highlights for the Comet pitching staff. Both athletes had nine strikeouts and have had strong starts to their seasons.
"A game like that can bounce a team back in the right stride, kind of what they call a confidence game," Rogers said. "I know we had two games, but it's one of those things where these guys just got to take everything we did today and try and find the positive in it and keep competing."
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At the plate in game one, Bradley had three hits in three at-bats, with three runs scored and one RBI. AJ Bowers and Bradley had triple-base hits. Bowers, Wade Sommers and Kyle Thomas all had two RBIs. Bradley, Thomas and Connor Vanbuskirk had double-base hits. Vanbuskirk had two hits in two at-bats.
Game two saw Bradley have two hits and three runs. Vanbuskirk had two hits and three RBIs. Damon Newell had one hit and three RBIs. Calligan, Marshall Baker and Bowers each scored two runs. Bradley Devan Herendeen, Vanbuskirk, Sommers Carson Cornila, Baker and Newell had multiple stolen bases across the two games.
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Comet softball won their games in similar fashion, with 15-0 and 24-5 finals. Senior pitcher Lyra Nichols got the win in game one, giving up one hit and earning seven strikeouts. The senior has already crossed the 40-strikeout mark for the season in just four starts, with three wins. Bryn Rusk got the win in game two, earning 11 strikeouts while giving up just two earned runs, five total hits and one walk. This was Rusk's first win of the season.
"Both of the pitchers did well," coach Marlena Nichols said. "I was really thrilled with seeing how far each of them have come, Rusk especially has come on this year and improved. She's throwing harder and (throwing) different pitches. So, she got a nice win today and Nichols did too."
Game one saw seven different Comets earn an extra-base hit. Elizabeth Butzin, Nichols, Elena Prater, Rusk, Gracen Hager, Ava Kramer and Megan Hewlett all contributed to that category. Butzin, Hewlett, Nichols, Prater and Rusk all drove in two RBIs. Rusk and Butzin led the scoring effort with three runs each. Nichols had two hits.
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In game two, it was Hewlett, Prater, Keileigh Palmer, Madisen Lindsey, Nichols and Kramer with double-base hits. Elena Prater had a total of three hits, including a triple, and scored five runs. Keileigh Palmer and Madisen Lindsey each had three RBIs. Stella Broesamle had three hits and four RBIs. Nichols, Kramer and Palmer each scored four runs. Rusk had three runs. Megan Hewlett led the team with three stolen bases in game two.
At 4-4, Comet softball returns home for a game against Michigan Center on Wednesday, weather permitting. The 5-4 Comet baseball team travels to Vandercook Lake on the 17th for another doubleheader.
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This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Jonesville baseball and softball sweep home openers against Vandercook Lake
