2019 MHSAA Softball State Finals | STATE CHAMPS! Michigan

Hello and welcome to another edition of the

state

championships at the

state

championships my name is Lauren Plant are you tuned to the

2019

MHSA an edition of

softball

state

finals

this program is presented by Lawrence Technological University where the Blue Devils dare to secchi a stadium the stage at Michigan State University and this year's

finals

had some big surprises and the end of one final in particular that you would have to believe had never happened before, certainly next to a state championship, but let's start with the vision for those of you who followed this year's total.

Softball Player of the Year race I knew Escanaba Gaby Sallow had a great chance to win it if the Eskimos could claim the state title for the second year in a row, that would be a tall order considering Stevensville Lake Shore had just defeated Eaton Rapids and Player of the year. Grace Leto, finalist of the year, and her 0.34 ara her Lancers won that game, board game 8 to 1, let's dig in, let's start this party with the d2 ending. Escanaba had to come back to beat North Branch in the semis just to have a chance to defend its Stevensville Lakeshore state championship came fresh with 8 runs and 11 hits against Eaton Rapids' previously unhittable Grace Leto.

This would be her first state crown in five years. Let's pick things up with two outs in the top of the first Megan Young. short fly ball to center Jalen Olson just misses a pitch attempt junior Mead comes in to score Lancers take a one-nothing lead ESCA now junior pitcher Gaby Sallow is now our all-around

softball

player of the year, but she hadn't won yet coming in with a point two six in the year he had Kirschbaum down looking to finish the top half of the first. The Eskimos set off on their first step. Two runners in the corner, Wisconsin recruits Salo, hit to clean up Escanaba, sac-fly to left. senior Lexi Shelley eight beats the shot we were tied at one on the mound junior Salo begins to feel comfortable and a chowman falls victim to the last two now juicy bases for Eskimo Sally the pick of the featured outfielder freshman Elizabeth silver crosses Escanaba two to -one lead jumps to fourth the Yoopers with a pair for freshman Carson Sagorsky hit to left center bases now loaded then an error opened up on the lakeshore on Nicole Kameen's fly out to the right the three runners are going to come Thus, the Eskimos with a seemingly insurmountable lead of 5-1 after four innings of play, but the Lancers fall back and in the top of the sixth they threaten with runners on first and second.

Shelby Brown, a grounder with eyes, but the youngest hesitates in the turn. restarts for home the throw from the chalet arrives on time younger at the plate Stevensville Lakes you are still competing the freshman and a gentleman arrives two runs heading home Lake Shore down to the momentum now officially changing the runners on first and third two out to run lead at the plate in Renee Sandman Salo with the dirty changeup Escanaba clinging to a 5-3 lead at the bottom of the inning The Eskimos made a call and got their insurance Salo at the plate wild pitch allows him to sagorsky slide home here he comes safely and heads to seventh Eskimos up seven to three Salo went the distance like a house on the side of the road Mead sees him pass by game Gaby Sallow with 11 cases Escanaba wins its second consecutive state title from Division two to three, the fun, we knew we had a big target on our backs and we knew we were going to have to fight, they weren't going to hand it over to us and I'm very proud of my team and all of us who never gave up.

We had a tough game, so we fought every thought. I'm very proud, it means a lot to the community. We have it. We went without a state title from 1981 to 2018 and now, back to back, I'm almost speechless. Actually, you. I know a lot of us have said that I think our kids talk at the right time because they're not done, we're not, we don't overdo it and when we finally get out, you know, we only have 20 good games outside of the first ones it's like putting a cape behind us. of the good bats and just trying to throw out 27 innings if we can, let's move on to Division One heading into the state semifinals.

There were many thoughts that the diggy facto state championship game would be the howler winner. The Clarkston matchup, those two Titans had a great game in which the Highlanders outscored the Wolves by a margin of 8, 9 to 6, a very dramatic game and the towel in third place was finally in its first Finals and the favorites For Warren Regina championship weekend no less is something. The fact that the state has won a softball coach in Michigan high school history probably figures on your calendar every year, and after all, you should probably postpone any vacation plans. Diane Laughs II and her satellites have six state titles under their belt and made it through this year's postseason to Let's go to Cestius Stadium I'm Janis Kelsey and Lauren Regina were excited to make their first Finals appearance since winning it all in 2015, in as for Howell at Michigan State for the second year in a row, but looking for his first State Hardware Islanders.

They have one of the best offenses in the state, they are owed the bats in the first, senior Madi Gillette breaks it to the wall and went to center for the double. Regina had senior Marissa Moglia on the hill for last. a break with Avery Wolverton to end the threat in the top half of the first innings. How will you, as a team, hit 62 home runs over the course of the season and almost tied the game record of 63 right here in the second when junior sky Grant just hit? the top of the wall for another double for the Highlanders, but Moglia once again is run between the swinging strike out as she stood still and nothing, no play, but the satellites would hit the board at the bottom of the inning.

Jackie joseph just gets it. on Gillette's love of the hit to right and now it's score a pair has worn down Regina takes the lead by 2 nothing the satellites look to increase their lead at third with a runner on second what will junior pitcher Molly Carney already committed look like? with Notre Dame's strikes? out Abbey Hornberger as it's still a scoreless game the Highlanders would finally get Lea in the fifth Utah found James sending him deep to left center for the RBI double Madi Hill Newark rushes in at first to score and how will she do it? she's now two to one behind, but Moglia comes back as she gets Cara Johnson swinging down, it was still 2 to 1 as we head into the sixth.

Howell would hit 1 at the top of the sick and screen sophomore Madi would get the job. Done with the sacrifice fly to right center and that would allow us to cross the ditch and we were tied at two. Regina looked to take the lead once again in the bottom of the inning with a runner on second Kearney for 7K in the afternoon. getting Adrianna James was still 2 2 contests as Powell runners on second and third came on in extra innings in the eighth, Moglia once again getting Grant down for his 12th strikeout in the game the satellites had a runner on first in At the bottom of the eighth Kubinka sets the bunt that she was out at first, but Jenna Holt would reach third and the winning run is just 60 feet away with one out.

Howell would then load the bases to force freshman Adrianna James. she's ready to hit, she hits a ground ball to Carney and takes off her glove and now she'd score holes as Warren Regina goes out to win her first softball championship in four years 3-2 in the final, it's honestly like the best feeling in the world , is that there are no The words this especially drive him to win like this at the start. What's special is that the winner was Coach YP. Oh, it's so special to do it for her. Every time she came here, she never lost, she is simply the best trainer in the world. actually doing it for her and seeing her face is just amazing.

This group is very resilient and they just don't give up. They're a great group of girls who work hard, work together really well and just don't do it. We now had two division fours and USA chants were permeating the entire Michigan State athletic complex, not because the patrons were feeling particularly patriotic, not because Union food preparations were once again in the game. state championship for the eighth time in its history, five times. 13 Final Four champions in the last 14 years for the Big Thumb conference champion demonstrates an unprecedented level of excellence, but its opponent Kalamazoo Christian almost equally consistent seven MHSA titles to the runner-up finishes fifth Final Four in seven seasons the Comets they killed everything all postseason, including this year's semifinals, same for the Patriots at the top of the schedule.

I mentioned that there was a historic ending to one of the endings. The moment has come. I'm Gabe O'Neal, banquet. Highlights of this Division Four final between the Unionville brothers. and Kalamazoo Christian, Bryn's sophomore constituency was on the mound for USA, she would strike out three Kalamazoo Christian batters to start the contest. The Patriots look to get on the board in the bottom of the first. Senior Riley Zimmer sends the offering to deep right. -center and she would rush about a third for the standing triple, but said the boos couldn't take advantage of the opportunity as Laney vicek's friend punches Jamie and then throat up first is good to end the opening. inning with the game scoreless, the fight was still on the line for USA, getting Claire Dickinson in the corner, she started the game by throwing out seven straight strikeouts, we reached the bottom of the third, sophomore Macy Montgomery makes the bunt, but Kalamazoo Christian's throw to first is off the mark and freshman Maci Reinhart comes all the way to score and it was nothing.

USA would add more in the inning with a pair in Oh lega, he would ground out on the fielder's choice and that would score Montgomery and that would increase the lead to two, the next batter was friend Vicek and the senior hits him in the opposite direction for Zimmer's scoring double and after three innings of play the Patriots were up three to nothing, we jumped to the top of the six kzoo Christian threatening with a runner on second. freshman Reagan Pro kaizen comes in with the hit and junior Meagan snook comes in to score. The Comets were now trailing three to one, but trying would come right back and send Faith Cline down by spinning the sophomore through 15 strikeouts. in the afternoon it was still 3-1 as we headed into the final inning Kalamazoo Christian had a runner on first in the top of the seventh sophomore Nayla de Jong bunts and backs off just for the infield single we have two in with no outs and the game-winning run coming to the plate, this next play will be one to remember.

Junior Sammy does know that he is at the plate for the Comets. His line drive deflects, he arcs a ghazal and breaks toward Riley Zimmer, who. he catches it, steps on second and shoots first for the play that ends triple play two. Clips from the Division 4 state championship, that triple play was the number one game on SportsCenter over the weekend as Unionville's brother wins 3-1 in the final to claim. It's their first state title in three years, it feels amazing just knowing how it happened so quickly. It's just amazing, it feels amazing. We've wanted this since we were a little girl sitting here watching this in the stands watching Niki and everything. they throw and I look at them when I was 8 years old 9 saying I want to be Niki I want it I want to be like them when I grow up and we have a picture of us that we saw in fact this weekend we met and it's all nice Our entire team is standing there and smiling in one of the state championship games and our goal this year was to redo that and say that we can do it too, not just our older brothers and everyone else, that we can do it.

It feels amazing. We've been on a mission, you know, we've swept the tournament a little bit like we were really tested, but we knew Kalamazoo. We saw them well yesterday and you know we had to play. our best ball and you know, just for a complete 360, I mean, he's thinking, okay, I'm going to score two on this, the game will be tied and then to me, it was great, it was unreal and now that's it. a great team and they were good that was a good softball team a top package for you and it's in Division three the final game of Super Saturday featured our second highest ranked team in their division to make the game of the Tri Valley Conference championship.

Eastern champions Millington, returning finalists hoping to capitalize on the title this season, and their entire starting cast was inreturn, including senior star Gabby Sherman, and while their playoff run didn't include an upper tier of top divisions, they beat a lot of great teams this season. including Escanaba Powell and Lake Orion, to name just a few, the southwestern part of the state's prep school was in its first championship game after losing mega hitter Lydia Goble to graduation last season, the surging Eagles beat two reigning champions in d3 Escalona and last year. d4 champions Centerville in the playoffs to reach their first final, by now Millington had never won a state title in any sport and reached the semifinal, while Schoolcraft did it in dramatic fashion once again, returning to MSU and established GST I.

I'm Kevin Jersey and here we go with the final of the Division Three softball finals between Millington and Schoolcraft, both teams looking for their first state title. Millington was led by one of our Canadian Total Softball Players of the Year, Gabby Sherman, committed. to Kent State here, getting Katie Parker to strike out the side in the top of the first, it didn't take long for the Cardinals to get on the board, leadoff hitter Darian Roberts takes the first pitch he sees and goes over the wall to left For his 19th home run of the season, Millington took a one-nothing lead that was good right away.

I knew he was gone and knowing that I got him for my team and that's how this game was going to be. I could just feel it was incredible and that was just the beginning of the hit parade for Millington in the first inning, senior Sydney Bishop hitting left for fellow singles Lea Janome. would cross the plate then a few batters later Millington capitalized with a runner in scoring position, junior Manny Han sends the offering deep to the wall in center for the double scoring another run and the Cardinals are now up by 4, Sophomore Sabrina Gates would be up next for the Cardinals and she singled up the middle and high to score after the first inning.

Millington had a five-nil lead. The senior Sherman was still negotiating on the mound for Millington. Kelby Goldschmidt. He can't reach it. in the heat Gabby struck out five of the first six prep batters he faced in the bottom half of the second Millington with the runner on the first Bishop with the base hit up the middle for Gnome to round second and head to third, but a legal SHM Eddings. the shot from the center arrives on time Adrian Rossi applies the tag and the gnome is eliminated in the third jump towards the end of the fourth with Millington once again knocking on the door, it is German who does it with her bat going in the opposite direction for the base set. de gnome comes in to score the Cardinals, now up six points and then a few batters later, with runners in scoring position, he would push the single to left scoring Ashley zeal Millington was up eight times after four innings per play, Gabby Sherman was dominating in his end.

High School Game Goal Schmidt Inge once again fell victim to a swinging K to end the sixth inning and then in the seventh he would throw his 30th strikeout of the game right here to soak a bridge and end it. Millington excludes Schoolcraft. nothing for the school's first state championship in any sport, it feels amazing, I'm so excited, I'm so proud of my entire team and it's just amazing, I don't know if there's anything that's ever felt like ours. Dreams came true, it feels amazing. These girls have worked so hard since our little one last year.

We came up short and I knew they wouldn't want to let that happen this year. They were amazing in the state championship game. I'm very happy with how this is. In closing, we hope you enjoyed our presentation of this year's MHSA softball state championships every time you see a triple play, well, you just don't see triple plays that often, so it was particularly special. We want to send a special shout out to Escanaba like Gabby. Salo, who was named this year's overall softball player of the year after winning the state championship, we have a full feature on her coronation as well as commentary on the career as a whole, you can watch it now on State Champs Network Comm or on our Facebook and YouTube channel, follow us on social media, share our content if you want to continue watching great high school sports content here, it is important that you follow us, subscribe and share, it is important that we let our partners know that you want them to This continues every year with your active participation. with us on social media we will guarantee it at the Lauren plant thanks for watching