Cardinal softball team headed to state semifinals

The Onaway High School softball team defeated Traverse City St. Francis, 3-2, Tuesday in a Division IV state quarterfinal contest at Traverse City West. The win, which improved the Cardinals? record to 35-0, propelled them into the state semifinals Friday at Battle Creek. No other Cardinal girls? squad had ever won a regional championship, much less advanced to state.

Onaway?s semifinal opponent is defending Division IV champ Unionville-Sebewaing (USA), which won Division III titles in both 2006 and 2007 before dropping down a class. USA comes in with a 30-3 record and as the top-ranked Division IV team in the state. OHS is ranked fourth. The game is scheduled to begin Friday at 1:30 p.m.

The winner advances to the Division IV state final, Saturday at 12:30 p.m., against the winner of the Dansville (21-9)/Petersburg-Summerfield (30-5) semi. All games are played at Battle Creek?s Bailey Park.

Though Tuesday?s contest was played just a few minutes from the St. Francis campus, Cardinal fans far outnumbered those of the Gladiators, making red the color de jour in Traverse City.

Amanda Pomranke played a huge role in making sure that the team?s supporters didn?t leave disappointed. Not only did the senior pitch a whale of a game, she had two of the Cards? three hits and drove in all three runs.

St. Francis scored first. Ellen Kendziorski singled to lead off the bottom of the first. After moving to second on a bunt, Kendziorski scored on a two-out bloop single by Sarah Brunner.

Onaway mounted a two-out rally in the top of the third to tie things. Allie Nave singled to start it, moving to second when Emily Estep walked. Pomranke then laced a double down the leftfield line, scoring Nave.

The game remained tied at one through four, in part because of a spectacular diving catch by Cardinal rightfielder Kourtni Hyde, which ended the bottom of the third. OHS took a 3-1 lead in the top of the fifth. Megan Estep reached on the game?s only error to start the frame, moving to second on a Sam Freel bunt. Nave and Emily Estep then drew walks to load the bases.

Pomranke again played hero, ripping another ball down the leftfield line to score both Megan Estep and Nave and bring the many clad in red to their feet. The Gladiators responded with a run in the bottom of the fifth, assisted greatly by Mother Nature. Colleen Roddy opened the frame with a single to right, moving to third with two out on consecutive grounders.

Pomranke was up 0-2 on TCSF nine-hitter Maggie Esler when rain began to fall, making it difficult for the senior to grip the ball. Roddy scored on a wild pitch, and Esler drew a walk before the game was halted

. After a 30-minute delay, leadoff hitter Kendziorski singled, moving Esler to third. The Cards then allowed Kendziorski to steal second rather than a risk an errant throw that would plate the tying run.

Needing a pitch to get out of the jam, Pomranke dug deep, forcing a pop up to the mound to end the inning. The Gladiators would not threaten again, and when Hyde gloved a fly to right for the third out of the seventh, the celebration was on.

Pomranke?s pitching line over seven pressure-packed innings: six hits, one walk, five strikeouts. Cardinal errors over seven pressure-packed innings: zero.

Though the bats weren?t as dominant as they?ve been in past games, the Cards made the most of the three hits they managed and maybe, just maybe, saved enough offense to win a game or two more. Thirty-five down, two to go.

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