RC Girls Major team wins district title
It?s on to the state tournament for a talented group of major league all-star girls. Featuring many of the same players from the minor league all-stars which made a great run in the states two years ago, the Rogers City Little League Major Girls all-stars team won three games in Cheboygan last week to move on to the state tournament in St. Clair. The team is made up of players from the Rogers City and Posen school districts.
In the first game Thursday, four RC pitchers each worked an inning in a 13-2 win over Harbor Springs. Leilani Kortman, Katie Darga, Logan Schuiteman, and Lindsey Ponik pitched one inning each in the win. Kortman, Darga, Ponik, Leanne Buczkowski, and Erica Kuznicki each had two RBI. Coach Jay Schuiteman said Carly Wilk made a great catch and throw to Emily Marx at home to record a key out. The second game on Friday went to the Rogers City-Posen squad as it defeated Cheboygan 8-5.
Logan Schuiteman earned the win in relief of Darga. Rogers City fell behind 2-1 after the first, but came back with two in the second, two in the fourth, and three in the fifth. Cheboygan snuffed a rally as Rogers City had bases loaded in the sixth with nobody out, but the Cheboygan pitcher fanned the next three hitters to put out the fire. In the Cheboygan sixth, a great defensive play by Leanne Strzelecki at second base ended the game. Leanne Buczkowski went four-for-four with two doubles to pace
Rogers City faced Cheboygan, which made its way through the losers? bracket, in the district finals. An eight-run third powered the 15-2 win over the host team. Darga pitched the first three innings, allowing two runs, while striking out seven, and leaving with an 11-2 lead. Ponik came on in the fourth, striking out each batter she faced in the mercy-shortened game. Kortman had a double and a triple, Ponik blasted two hits, Strzelecki added a home run, Schuiteman hit a double, and Kuznicki tallied a triple in the game. Rogers City was aided by 12 walks.
The team advances to the state double-elimination tournament this weekend against the winner of the District 14 tournament. They girls, and their parents or chaperones, face as many as eight nights in a hotel, should they continue their winning ways. This is a financial challenge for the players and their parents. ?These girls have been working hard with fund raising. There has been a great outpouring from the communities of Rogers City and Posen,? Jay Schuiteman said.