Record-setting streak ends in a split at Hillman
An incredible 29-game winning streak in the North Star League came to an end Monday for the Viking softball team in the second game of a doubleheader at Hillman. 3-0. Posen (14-4, 7-1) held off the Tigers in the first game of the twinbill, 3-2, but lacked the timely hit in game two, in an effort to extend the streak to 30-straight. What now? ?We?ll have to go out and start another streak,? said softball coach Glenn Budnick.
The Vikings don?t have to wait very long to try, as they?ll host Arenac Eastern today at 4 p.m. It?ll be an interesting day in the North Star League. Arenac is among the challengers for the NSL year-and-year out, and this season is no exception, but the other two schools trying to knock off Posen?s three-year reign as league champs are Au Gres and Hillman, who play each other. Budnick recalled a comment in the pre-season about the league title, saying he thought whoever wins it will have one loss. If that were to hold true, the Vikes need to win the rest of their league games to stay on top.
After today?s games against Arenac, Posen hosts its annual tournament Saturday on the school grounds, with Mackinaw City, Harbor Light Christian Academy, and Alanson-Littlefield coming to town. The Vikings start the day by playing Alanson at 10 a.m. The next regular season contest is Wednesday at home against Brimley.
GOING INTO Hillman, Posen had won six straight. That included both games at the Mackinaw City tournament and two against Mio last Thursday. Hillman scored first in game one of the doubleheader, but Megan Pieczynski tied the game by putting a charge in a ball that was mishandled a couple of times by the Tigers, allowing the shortstop to circle the bases. The girls would add to that with what would be their only rally of the day in the fourth inning, as Pieczynski delivered a two-RBI single to score Roxann Hincka and her sister Amanda. Posen would hang on to that 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth inning.
Hillman leadoff hitter Alexa Schook singled, but with one out, starter Beth Julian walked the next batter. The next play was a groundout to Courtney Romel, but the runners moved up to second and third. Jessica Herbek then hit the ball past the shortstop and into leftfield. It looked as if the game was going to be tied, but a perfect relay from leftfielder Emily Perrault, to Megan Pieczynski, who fired to catcher Mary Calhoun, got the runner from second out at home by two steps. That was the ball game.
On not putting in a quicker pinch runner at second base, Hillman coach Gary Bisson said he ?didn?t have anybody.? Even though the Vikings won the game, they still only had five hits against starter Brianne Herbek, and that trend continued in the second game. ?We did not hit the ball as well as we had been,? said Budnick. Hillman also played better defensively. Julian went 1-1 in the doubleheader on the mound. Romel and Jenny Ciarkowski accounted for four of the Viking hits.
POSEN OUTSCORED the competition 18-2 at the Mackinaw City tournament. After dominating Vanderbilt 11-1 in the semifinal contest, the girls took care of Harbor Springs, 7-1, in the championship game. Hits were not hard to come by on this day. Posen scored five runs in the top of the sixth against Harbor Springs to blow the game wide open. Before that, it was a 2-1 contest.
Katie Lewandowski had two doubles and two RBI, wh
Leading on the hit parade in game two was Ciarkowski with a double and three RBI, while Hincka ripped a double and had two RBI. Brittany Romel had two singles. Julian helped her own cause with two doubles and four RBI in game one, while Jenny Ciarkowski was three-for-four with a double and four RBI. Amanda Pieczynski was two-for-three with a run knocked in.