Northmen baseball splits in Big Rapids, Mackinaw softball sweeps Onaway

BIG RAPIDS — The Petoskey baseball team got in a road trip Saturday to Big Rapids and returned home with a 1-1 finish on the day.

The Northmen picked up a non-conference rivalry win over Gaylord in 10-2 fashion, then fell in an 8-7 game against Big Rapids, in which errors plagued Petoskey.

The split for Petoskey kept them in a split for the season overall, as they moved to 10-10 on the year.

Against the Blue Devils, a scoreless opening inning later turned into a streak of at least a run across the next six innings for the Northmen.

Trevor Swiss enjoyed a breakout performance at the plate with a pair of home runs and three runs scored.

Stephen McGeehan singled, doubled and drove in one run, Max Ferrin went 2 for 3 with a double and three RBIs, Ely Pethers doubled in a run and Lucas O’Donnell and Tyler Goeldel each singled twice. Grant Slater also added an RBI single.

Peyton Harmon earned the victory pitching behind five innings, three hits allowed and one walk. Harmon also struck out four batters.

Kam Horn also took the hill for a pair of innings, striking out two with two hits and two walks issued.

The Northmen looked well on their way to a 2-0 day against Big Rapids, as a six pack of runs were put on the board by the Northmen in the bottom of the third.

That 6-0 lead quickly turned as errors added up to Cardinal runs, only one of which was answered by Petoskey.

Swiss went 3 for 3 with a pair of RBIs to continue his big day, Ferrin singled twice and drove in two runs and O’Donnell singled in a run as well.

None of Big Rapids’ runs came earned against Petoskey’s pitchers, as seven errors in the field did the damage.

Ferrin went three innings with three strikeouts, while allowing two hits and two walks, while Horn, McGeehan and Haden Janes all pitched an inning and a third.

A return to Big North Conference play comes up next for Petoskey with a visit from Alpena on Tuesday, May 16 ahead. Petoskey will also head to Rudyard on Wednesday, May 17.

Cheboygan at Boyne City 

BOYNE CITY — Boyne City baseball took a pair of losses from visiting Cheboygan Friday, falling in games of 7-2 and 9-7.

Gavin Hewitt singled twice and scored a run, while Will Brown tripled and drove in a run for Boyne in the opener, the only hits in the game.

Brown also pitched two innings and Chas Stanek took the mound for one.

In game two, Brown went 3 for 4 at the plate with a double and two RBIs, Hewitt singled and doubled and Jack Paquette singled, doubled and drove in two runs.

Owen Hewitt struck out six over two and two thirds, Kacey Gray went four innings with five strikeouts and a lone hit allowed, while Brown also pitched a third and struck out one.

Onaway at Mackinaw City 

MACKINAW CITY — Mackinaw City baseball earned a split with Onaway Saturday at home, taking a 9-3 loss, before a 9-4 game two victory.

“Onaway is really well coached and they do things the right way,” Mackinaw City coach Elijah May said. “They are a tough ski-valley opponent for us and I am really happy to come away from today with a split. I think that the way we competed today through our defensive issues shows that we are trending in the right direction at the right time of the season.”

In game one, Sebastian Pierce took the loss pitching, while Trystan Swanson also took the hill over five and two thirds, striking out three.

Lars Huffman went 3 for 3 with five steals and two runs scored, then Lucas Bergstrom singled and drove in two runs.

In game two, Swanson, Nick Vieau and Braylon Currier all took the mound, with Vieau earning the win behind four strikeouts.

Vieau also went 3 for 4 with three RBIs, Huffman went 2 for 3 with and RBI and four steals and Bergstrom singled and doubled and drove in one.

SOFTBALL 

NON-CONFERENCE

Cheboygan at Boyne City 

BOYNE CITY — Playing on senior night against visiting Cheboygan, Boyne City kept things going a little longer for the seniors final home games.

The Ramblers earned a split against the Chiefs, with both games meeting the international tiebreaker rules in extra innings.

Cheboygan earned a 1-0 victory in game one, then Boyne took a 5-4 victory in the nightcap.

In the opener, Delaney Vollmer went all seven innings and allowed just four hits, while striking out three.

The lone hits came from Karli Hayden and Sadie Kroondyk at the plate, both singles.

Addy Cosier then went the distance in game two, striking out two with eight hits allowed.

Cosier also added the walk-off hit in a three-hit game for the Ramblers, Lucy Uy singled and doubled, Vollmer singled twice and Hayden also doubled.

Seniors for the Ramblers included Cosier, Hayden, Rachel Clausen, Savannah Kroondyk, Maggie Miller and Sophie Franckowiak.

Onaway at Mackinaw City 

MACKINAW CITY — Mackinaw City softball brought in a hard-earned sweep over Onaway Saturday, winning games of 6-2 and 8-5.

“The ladies played great today,” Mackinaw coach Bianca Thompson said. “We had to break out a little small ball at times to get those runs in when they mattered most. We had some great communication in the field and made some good catches in the air.”

Marlie Postula went all six innings with six strikeouts in the game one win, then Madison Smith doubled and drove in two runs at the plate.

Vanessa Groenewoud also had an RBI, as did Gracie Beauchamp, and Kenzlie Currie doubled.

Postula also picked up the game two victory through six innings and six strikeouts again.

Postula then doubled, scored three runs and had one RBI in game two, Rian Esper singled twice and drove in a run and Beauchamp and Smith both doubled in a run.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Northmen baseball splits in Big Rapids, Mackinaw softball sweeps Onaway