Fowler didn’t get the result it wanted at the Division 3 state semifinals.
Coach Kat Schmitt’s Eagles finished the year 26-7 after losing to Rogers City 11-1 in the semifinals at Michigan State University. The Eagles had beaten New Lothrop in the regional semifinal 7-6 and Morrice 12-2 in the regional final. They got their biggest win of the season, a 5-1 verdict over Huron Valley Lutheran, in the quarterfinal.
“We are very proud of our team,” Schmitt said. “They have fought and fought. We had everybody’s back the whole year. You could see at the end of the game that they continued to fight and fight. Any time you can get this far, it’s a great experience for the kids.”
The top of the fifth, Fowler put together a rally in hopes of extending the game for at least one more inning.
“They came back and battled and we just kept hitting,” Schmitt said. “Sometimes you’re successful, like in the New Lothrop game when we came back and scored seven runs in the bottom of the seventh. We kept battling.”
Fowler had six key seniors. “They’ve set some building blocks for us,” Schmitt said. “They’re very hard workers. It’s a great bunch of kids. We’ve totally enjoyed coaching them.”
Rogers City’s hitting attack was just too much for the Eagles to overcome. “They did what they needed to do to win,” Schmitt said.
Her team’s closeness was the reason, Schmitt said, that they were able to get so far.
“Everybody played together as a team,” Schmitt said. “They believed in themselves. We know the kids and their attitudes and how hard they work.”
It was enjoyable for Schmitt and her players to see all the fans that came from Fowler. “That was awesome with our fans here,” Schmitt said. “Our kids will always remember the New Lothrop game and the quarterfinals, and they were all around the field and in the back behind the fence was the hill. You could see nothing but rows of Fowler fans there, and they were all clapping. It’s something the kids will remember.”
Playing at MSU was fun, too. “Anytime they get to come to field like this to play at a college level is a great experience for the kids,” Schmitt said.