Softball team plays thrillers with Cheboygan

Two of the top pitchers in northern Michigan hooked up for two memorable games at Gilpin Field Tuesday. Rogers City?s Ashley Fleming and Cheboygan?s Amanda Beaubiene each pitched all 13 innings of the doubleheader split. The Hurons won the first game 3-0 behind Fleming?s three-hitter while the Chiefs took game two, 2-1 in seven innings. In the first game Huron second baseman Laura Konieczny had two hits and scored two runs to lead the offensive attack. She doubled and scored in the third inning and singled and scored in the fifth.

Megan Hanson singled and scored ahead of Konieczny in the fifth inning, adding some insurance for Fleming, who notched her 12th win of the season. SHE STRUCK out 10 while walking three in six innings of work. The second game went an extra inning as both pitchers kept the hitters off base. Some terrific fielding by the Hurons, including a fine diving catch by Hanson in right field, aided the cause. C.J. Calabrese scored the Hurons? lone run in the first, thanks to some sloppy play by the Chiefs. She singled, then advanced to second and then third on passed balls. When Fleming grounded to short, Calabrese got out of a pickle when the catcher dropped the ball while attempting to tag Calabrese in front of home plate.

The Chiefs got the winning run on a walk, stolen base, sacrifice and an infield single. The Hurons managed just three hits, one each by Jess Konieczny, who doubled, Dana Fairbanks and Calabrese. Fleming went all seven innings, surrendering three hits and three wal

ks while striking out four. ?These were good games for us to play in,? said Huron coach Karl Grambau. ?Anything can happen in a game like this. Games like these are just like tournament games and they will only make us better.?

LAST THURSDAY at St. Ignace, the Hurons took both ends of a doubleheader with the Saints, 14-0, 11-2. Fleming went all five innings in the first game, striking out 12 while not allowing a hit. She had a four-RBI performance at the plate, collecting a double, triple and a sacrifice. Senior third baseman Sara Dove scored three runs while Chelsie Brege scored three runs and had two hits.

The Hurons were too much for the Saints in the second game as well. Rogers City trailed 2-1 heading into the fourth inning. The Hurons changed that with four runs in the fourth and six more in the fifth in support of Tiffiny Krueger (4-1). She allowed three hits and two walks while striking out seven. Hanson had two hits and scored three runs in the game. The Hurons travel to Rudyard today (Thursday) then host Marquette Friday in a rescheduled game from an earlier weather cancellation. Rogers City remains ranked first in Division IV in the latest coaches? poll.