It was fun while it lasted for Linden’s softball team.
The Eagles advanced to the Division 2 semifinals, where they lost to Swan Valley to end their season at 31-5.
Gordon Jamison had a dream season in his fourth year as coach. His three previous teams had a combined record of 33-96. But the Eagles turned it around this year and went all the way to the semifinals. They had won the regional tournament with 6-3 and 10-8 wins over Williamston and Wayland Union, and they then pulled out a 3-2 win in eight innings over Belding in the state quarterfinals.
Then came the match-up against Swan Valley in the semifinals. Linden scored two runs in the top of the second to tie the game. But Swan Valley pulled away after that.
Molly Sherman took the loss for Linden, going six innings and allowing five earned runs on six hits, giving up four walks, and striking out four. She also had two wild pitches and one RBI for Linden.
Alyssa Logie had two hits for Linden.
DIVISION 3
Dundee won the Division 3 crown with a 3-0 victory over Unionville-Sebewaing in a title game that went nine innings. Dundee broke the scoreless tie with three runs the top of the ninth. All the scoring took place with two outs. After a single and a walk for Dundee, Vanessa Ewing belted a 3-run homer for all the runs.
Ewing was also the winning pitcher, going all nine innings and allowing four hits and four walks.
Dundee ended its season at 45-1.
Erica Treiber was the losing pitcher for Unionville-Sebewaing, going nine innings and allowing three runs on six hits, striking out five, and walking one. Jennifer Winchell, Treiber, Allison Hoppe, and Ashlyn VanHoost had the team’s hits.
Unionville-Sebewaing ended at 37-4.
DIVISION 4
Ubly advanced to the Division 4 state championship softball game but took it on the chin with a 16-6 loss to Kalamazoo Christian on June 15.
It was a sloppy game, with both teams committing four errors. But the Comets’ explosive offense led to their victory, and they scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth to enforce the mercy rule. Ubly ended as state runners-up at 26-7.
The Bearcats scored their share of runs with a big six-run third inning that tied the game at 6-6. Hailey Kubacki had two hits and two RBI for Ubly.
“They never gave up,” said Ubly coach Courtney Dekoski. “They worked their butts off. It’s a disappointment to lose, but it’s a great achievement.”
Dekoski said that senior leadership keyed the Bearcats, and that winning the regionals with 6-3 and 10-3 wins over Brown City and Mio was the turning point for the team. That led to a 3-2 10-inning victory over St. Patrick Catholic in the quarterfinal, and an 8-6 win over University Liggett School in the semifinals.