Whiteford to play for state softball title after 8-0 win in semifinals

EAST LANSING − Kaydence Sheldon took three or four strides toward first base before she heard the call.

Instead of a walk, she was out.

"I was definitely a little frustrated," Sheldon admitted. "I thought I had a walk."

Whiteford softball fans shared her frustration at the time, but, as it turned out, it might have been the best thing that could have happened to the Bobcats.

It made Sheldon mad.

"I was angry," she said. "And I carried that into my next at-bat."

Her next at-bat was a clutch, two-out single that plated the first run of the game. That was the first of three RBI hits in the game for Sheldon, leading Whiteford to an 8-0 win over No. 7 Laingsburg in the Division 3 state semifinals.

The Bobcats will return to Secchia Stadium on the Michigan State campus for the state championship Saturday, taking on No. 10 Standish-Sterling (37-7) at 5:30 p.m.

Whiteford had runners on first and second with two outs in the third when Sheldon stepped to the plate with a chip on her shoulder.

"I knew we had to score a run," the junior catcher said. "It was 0-0 at that point. I waited for a pitch inside that I could get the barrel of my bat on."

She perfectly placed a ball that eluded the Lainsburg third baseman and shortstop and rolled into leftfield.

Courtesy runner Mackenzie Ulery swiped second base, then Patrina Marsh delivered a two-run single to push the Bobcat lead to 3-0.

That was more than enough for Unity Nelson.

Whiteford's sensational junior pitcher wound up tossing a two-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts.

The Bobcat hitters gave her a lot more support with three runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth. Whiteford finished with 10 hits, including three by Sheldon and two by Marsh.

Shay Alexander got on base four times with two walks, a hit-by-pitch, and an error.

"The first time through the order, we didn't do much," Whiteford shortstop Aly VanBrandt said. "Once we saw her (Laingsburg pitcher Addyson Buchin), we knew how to attack her."

Whiteford coach Matt VanBrandt said it was simply a matter of adapting to Buchin's style.

"The last pitcher we saw threw a rise ball and this one threw a drop," he said. "That's a big adjustment from Wednesday to Friday. We just needed some time."

Sheldon had an RBI double that short-hopped the fence in the fifth and singled home a run in the sixth.

"She's been hitting the ball well," Aly VanBrandt said. "I am proud of her."

"Sheldon came up huge," added coach VanBrandt.

Karlei Conard added a two-run single in the fifth and Alexander's head-first dive into first base to be safe on an error with two outs kept the inning alive for Sheldon's final RBI hit.

Coach VanBrandt also was proud of his defense.

"Their lead-off hitter (Ashley Bila) is a menace," he said. "She got on base twice, but we did a good job of keeping her from scoring."

Aly VanBrandt made two outstanding plays deep in the hole at shortstop and Marsh and Jillian Webb both made nice running catches in the outfield.

Nelson had to pitch out of some trouble early but got stronger as the game went on. Nine of her 11 strikeouts came in the last four innings, including the final four outs.

"In the first inning, both sides had a hard time adjusting to the strike zone," Sheldon said. "We figured it out and made adjustments."

Whiteford, the Division 4 state runner-up last season, has not been able to crack the Top 10 in Division 3 this season but has a chance to beat its fourth-straight ranked team Saturday.

The Bobcats (37-4) topped No. 8 Grass Lake in the Regional finals, No. 2 Algonac in the quarterfinals, and No. 7 Laingsburg in the semifinals. Standish-Sterling is No. 10.

"It's overwhelming," Sheldon said. "I am so grateful."

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Whiteford to play for state softball title after 8-0 win in semifinals