Two all-star softball teams qualify for state

The Onaway Little League Program ended up having two softball teams qualify for state.

The Senior Girls (13 to 16 year olds) swept through their opponent at the Gladstone sectional, while the Minor Girls (9 & 10) bounced Rogers City with some excellent pitching to win a second consecutive district championship and advance directly to state.

The Senior Girls defeated Manistique in an exciting extra inning contest in game one at Gladstone and then mercied them in the second contest.

The score was tied at four-all heading into the top of the eighth inning when Peyton Lupu started the game-winning rally with a lead-off single. Hayley O’Meara sacrificed her to second, and Lupu moved to third on Christine Pomranke?s single. With two outs, Allie Nave delivered the game-winning single.

Starter Amanda Pomranke slammed the door on Manistique in the bottom of the eighth by striking out the side and adding to her strikeout total, which ended up being seven.

Christine Pomranke had three singles, while Danielle Cleaver had a single, double, and triple. Kourtni Hyde, Alyse Sachs, and Lupu each had two singles apiece.

The girls scored four runs in the fourth and sixth innings to runaway with the second game and give Christine Pomranke the easy win. She gave up four hits and two runs, but struck out three. Amanda Pomranke pitched the final two innings and struck out five.

Christine Pomranke and Nave both had three hits each, while Danielle Chapman and Cleaver came through with two singles and a double.

Next stop is Rochester for an eight team round robin tournament. They will be given a police escort out of town at noon today and begin playing games at Oakland University tomorrow at 11 a.m. Their opponent will be Georgetown. The best two teams in each of the two pools will move on to the finals.

The Minor Girls waited to see who they would play in the finals on the home field at Edna Lound Little League complex , and it was no surprise when it ended up being Rogers City, who Onaway defeated earlier in the tournament, 3-0.

In another pitching duel, Rogers City got by Onaway this time around, 2-1. Sam Brasseur got the start on the mound and struck o

ut six, but did not receive much run support. With both Onaway and Rogers City suffering one loss, it would come down to winner takes all.

Onaway?s Emily Estep came through with her second straight win against Rogers City. She struck out 11 and helped her teammates hold on to an early 4-1 lead.

Rogers City came back with two runs in the fifth inning, but could not push any more runs across, putting an end to their tournament run by a score of 4-3, and giving Onaway?s all-stars their second district flag in as many years.

Onaway?s leading hitter was Terri Stiles, who went two-for-three.

The girls will compete in the state tournament July 28 at Mattawan. There are 16 teams in the tournament.