SPORTSBEAT by Peter Jakey:An extra inning tournament tail

There?s no telling how long Saturday?s district championship softball game would have gone if the scrappy Hillman Tigers didn?t make two mistakes in the bottom of the 13th inning. Both Rogers City and Hillman showed a lot of heart in the marathon, and during the course of the game, which nearly equaled two, the Hurons and the Tigers had overcome mistakes and scoring threats, but in the final frame, Hillman?s back-to-back errors broke the deadlock.

Rogers City fans, who may have thought playing in Division IV would be easy, could breathe a sigh of relief and be thankful there is a second week of the softball playoffs coming up this weekend. The Hurons played sound ball to earn the right to play in the regional tournament on the home field. Anything less against Posen or Hillman, and they would have been sideline hosts Saturday. Instead, they?ll be on the diamond, looking for another trophy, and a chance to play at Elk Rapids in the quarterfinals (final eight teams). Three more wins and the orange and black will be back in Battle Creek.

I REALLY DO enjoy watching tournament games at Gilpin Memorial Field. It?s easy to follow both baseball and softball. If both Huron squads advance, fans won?t have such a luxury, with fields not in view of each other. The Rogers City baseball team dominated in its games against Onaway and Atlanta, and as the lead increased against Onaway in the championship game, I inched closer and closer to the softball field to get a glimpse of the action. There weren?t many available spots to lean up against at the fence. From a few yards behind the 190-foot sign in left field, I watched Hillman push a run across late and Rogers City fans getting a little anxious. A woman was sitting in her pickup truck watching the game and with the Tigers rallying and decided her Hurons needed her vocal support, so she got out and cheered for them at the fence. She later would retreat to her truck again as the game went into extra frames.

THIS TYPE of support would go on for inning after inning as the players matched each other?s hits and defensive plays. I overheard a fan say he needed to change where he was sitting, to hopefully bring the Hurons more luck in bringing the victory home. Heather LaLonde?s graduation party was to start at 3 p.m., but that time had come and gone. I was supposed to be at a surprise birthday party for Advance saleswoman Cella Bade, who was celebrating her 40th. The surprise was to be sprung at 4 p.m. I told Rich Lamb, who was still taking pictures and keeping notes, ?it?s not a surprise anymore? as the game went on through the afternoon. Some fans were making predictions between innings. ?This is the inning they?ll do it,? one said, referring to Rogers City. I wonder if the prognosticator had thought Smarty Jones would win Saturday and the Lakers would sweep the Pistons. To the fan?s credit, he did miss guessing when the game would end by only one inning.

IN THE 13TH, Rogers City had put itself in a position to win by not giving up, continuing to play g

reat defense, and by having pitcher Ashley Fleming mowing down batters at key moments. It?s too bad a game which I will remember to be filled with many ?web gems? would come down to two errors. The second baseman dropped an easy popup to allow C.J. Calabrese to reach first. Then, a ball was either fouled off catcher Jessica Tebo?s throwing hand, or the ball hit the ground and struck her. She was in pain, but stayed in the game. I can?t say that it was a factor, but when Sara Dove laid down a bunt in front of the plate, Tebo threw wildly to the second baseman covering first and the ball went up the rightfield line.

When the ball was retrieved, Calabrese was already at home, jumping up and down. She looked like Kirk Gibson after he hit the home run against Goose Gossage in the 1984 World Series. The district trophy belonged to Rogers City and more hardware awaits, if the Hurons continue playing the way they did Saturday. Fans would like a few more runs, so they don?t have to squirm as much, but rest assured, a win by one run or 10, in seven innings or 15, is better than the alternative. Continued next week…