Unionville-Sebewaing Area wanted to leave Michigan State University after the Division 3 state title softball game with a 41-0 record and the championship.
But a talented Gladstone team from the Upper Peninsula pulled out a 2-1 victory, and the Patriots instead went home at 40-1 with the state runner-up trophy.
Unionville-Sebewaing had two hits from Stephanie Neuman.
Gladstone got single runs in the first and third innings. Sharon Tanner scattered eight hits for Gladstone. Nicole Bauer took the loss.
Unionville-Sebewaing coach Steve Bohn has a three-year record of 117-10. His team also made it to the title game last year, where it lost 3-0 to Dundee.
Gladstone won the title with a 30-2 record.
“You have a team that came in with two losses and a team that came in with no losses, No. 1 team in the state and No. 3 in the state,” Bohn said. “It’s exactly the way that game is supposed to be. It’s a one-run game. A hit here or there makes a big difference both ways. A double play in one inning was a big spot there.”
It was among the most exciting games of the tournament weekend. “It was a good fast-pitch softball game,” Bohn said.
USA had rolled through the tournament. It won 6-0 and 11-0 over Meridian and Shepherd in the regionals, 10-1 over Reese in the quarterfinal, and 7-5 over Clinton in the semifinal.
“It’s such a great season, and the girls played so well,” Bohn said. “Right up to this last game. We had eight hits, just didn’t get that one to get the next run in. We came up short. That’s hard to swallow. Our goal from day one was to win every game and win the state championship. But we didn’t win the state championship. It’s pretty tough to swallow right now.”
Among the many times USA couldn’t cash in on its opportunities was in the fifth. The Patriots had two runners on with one out. Erica Treiber hit a liner that wound up in a double play.
“That’s the way this game is,” Bohn said. “A blooper is worth as much as a bullet. Sometimes they fall, and sometimes they don’t. You look at the college level, they go double elimination then best 2-out-of-3. There’s a reason they do that.”
DIVISION 2
Lakeshore ended the Division 2 softball season at 35-9 after a 4-3 victory against Ladywood on June 14 at Michigan State University. Lakeshore scored two runs in the fourth and two in the fifth to take the victory. Haley Thibeault got the win, giving up three hits and striking out three. Rachel Riedel got a hit and two RBI for the winners.
DIVISION 4
Rogers City held back Kalamazoo Christian to take the Division 4 state softball title at Michigan State University. Rogers City had single runs in the third, fifth, and seventh innings. Courtney Streich, Morgan Hall, and Alexa Quaine had two hits apiece for Rogers City. Tori Sides, Rebekah VanDam, Dara Knasl, and Erica Block had base hits for Kalamazoo Christian. Nikki Radke was the winning pitcher for Rogers City, which finished the season at 34-6.