Centreville Ends Spring with 'Incredible' Finish
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
June 16, 2018
EAST LANSING – It was a big day for the Centreville softball team. After a long wait, the Bulldogs were finally able to see the sequel to "Incredibles."
Oh, and they also won the first MHSAA Division 4 softball championship in school history.
A day of relaxation, which included a trip to the movies, paid off for Centreville as it defeated Coleman 5-2 on Saturday at Michigan State University’s Secchia Stadium in the final game of the 2018 season.
“It’s really good, I recommend it – it’s funny,” said Centreville sophomore pitcher Hannah Duchene with a laugh as she took her turn as movie reviewer. “It kind of just gave us a little bit of relief just to relax and not be super tense. It helped a lot.”
Centreville (36-6) looked composed despite the fact it was a young team playing in the title game for the first time. That led to a very clean game in which the Bulldogs didn’t commit a single error.
“These girls work so hard. They’ve fought so hard,” Centreville coach Scott Logan said. “They’re young; we’ve only got two seniors, but it hasn’t hit me yet, the importance of this. We’ve been playing good ball, and again today, we played good ball against a very good team.”
Centreville had been to the Semifinals just twice prior to this season, the last time in 2011. The town’s population is about 1,400, and it felt as if half of the residents were on hand to watch history.
“It’s crazy,” Duchene said. “It’s amazing to have so much support, and we couldn’t thank them enough for everything that they’ve done. Everyone is on cloud nine right now. It’s crazy. It’s just the best feeling ever. All the work finally paid off, and I knew we were just going to come through and get it.”
Centreville scored the bulk of its runs on one play in the bottom of the third inning, as Kenleigh West-Wing, Addy Ward and Jaeden Blades all crossed the plate following an errant throw at first base. That followed an RBI single from Duchene, and gave the Bulldogs a 4-1 lead.
“We always look for that – aggressive and smart,” Logan said. “We’re always looking for that next base and to take advantage of that when they throw the ball around.”
On the other side of the field, the disappointment was visible, as Coleman had looked to win its first MHSAA softball title since 2005 – the last time the Comets had advanced to this point.
“The steps have been ‘get to the next one,’” Coleman coach Chad Klopf said. “We got to the next one, and we were hoping to get two in one weekend, but we didn’t get there. One bad inning, some things we don’t usually do happened all in one inning. Four runs in one inning is tough to get over.
“Things happen. A little bit of pressure here and there, and things happen. Everybody’s down here for a reason, and they’re a good ball team, too.”
Coleman (30-10) took a 1-0 lead as Brianna Townsend doubled to score Abigail Tubbs in the top of the second inning. The Comets added another run in the fifth inning, as Makailyn Monson, who had tripled, scored on a groundout by MacKenzie Miller.
Centreville added its fifth run of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Emma Russell’s RBI single drove in West-Wing, stretching the lead to three runs heading into the final frame.
Duchene and the Centreville defense handled the rest, forcing a pop up, then a double play started by Kaylee Trattles and turned by MaKenzie Troyer to end the game. Trattles was filling in for star second baseman McKenzie Sheteron, who was attending her sister’s wedding.
“Of course it’s a little downfall that we don’t have McKenzie because she’s a huge aspect of our team,” Duchene said. “But I knew that Kaylee would come through and play the role that she’s supposed to and do the job for her team. I’m super proud of her for doing that.
“I always know that I have (the defense) to back me up, so that helps.”
Duchene finished the game with three strikeouts, scattered five hits and walked two in seven innings. Coleman senior Faith Barden was also strong, striking out six and walking three while allowing six hits and two earned runs.
West-Wing had a pair of hits for Centreville, while Townsend had two hits for Coleman.
VIDEO: Centreville caps its 5-2 win with a game-ending double play.
PHOTOS: (Top) Centreville players raise their Division 4 championship trophy after claiming their first title in the sport. (Middle) A Centreville runner follows coach Scott Logan’s direction and heads for home.
Caledonia, Hartland Earn Finals Return
June 14, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
EAST LANSING – Welcome back, Caledonia and Sammie Gehrls.
Three seasons after finishing her freshman year at Secchia Stadium, the Fighting Scots’ ace once again has her team one more win from its first MHSAA softball championship.
Gehrls tossed a three-hitter and struck out nine to kick off the Division 1 Semifinals on Thursday, and also drove in the game’s lone run in Caledonia’s 1-0 victory over Warren Regina.
The Fighting Scots will face Hartland in Saturday’s 10 a.m. championship game, their second in four seasons. Gehrls as a freshman pitched the Scots to the Division 1 Final, where they fell that time to Regina 5-0.
“As a freshman I just had little experience, and to see how much it really takes to get here, you just begin to appreciate it that much more,” Gehrls said. “Every year we’d come with the intent to try to get back to this big stage. But at the same time, you know that every pitch matters. These last couple of years, we didn’t win those pitches. And so to come out and win these pitches and be able to get to this point is incredible.”
Caledonia (28-6) won the few that counted most Thursday, particularly during the third inning when sophomore shortstop Emmalee Hamp tripled and Gehrls drove her home with a ground out to second base.
Senior third baseman Melina Livingston singled to lead off the game for Regina and had two of her team’s three hits, but the Saddlelites (25-8) never advanced a runner past second base.
Regina junior Marisa Muglia similarly was stellar in the pitching circle, allowing only seven hits and walking one while striking out three. Junior Jadon Huyser had two of Caledonia’s hits during a fast-moving game dominated by the aces.
Gehrls, who will continue next season at Grand Valley State, moved to 21-2 pitching this spring. She also entered this week hitting .495 with 13 home runs.
“She didn’t hit the ball (today) like she can normally, but I told her think right field, and she got (the RBI) down that right side to get that run in and that was the difference in the game,” Caledonia coach Tom Kaechele said. “That’s what she does though. She does those little things to help our team win, and that’s all she really wants. She says, ‘You know what Coach, stats, awards, that type of thing, I don’t care about those. I want to win. I want to win for this team, I want to win for you and I want to win for our community.’
“And when you have that kind of player, it’s hard not to love her.”
VIDEO: Samantha Gehrls gets her ninth strikeout to end Caledonia's 1-0 Semifinal win.
Hartland 6, Howell 4
Hartland had swept Howell earlier this spring on the way to winning the Kensington Lakes Activities Association Gold title, while the Highlanders came in second.
They met again in Thursday’s second Division 1 Semifinal, and the Eagles held off a late charge to finish the season sweep and earn their first MHSAA championship game appearance since 1996. Howell was playing for its first appearance in a Final.
“What it means is it’s really hard to get to this point,” Hartland coach Bob Greene said. “This is a tough tournament to win, and we’ve been blessed so far and things are falling our way. We’ve got a great group of kids really riding the wave right now. Everything’s falling into place at the right time.”
Howell opened with two runs in the top of the first inning. Hartland took the lead with four in the fourth and added two more in the bottom of the sixth inning.
The Highlanders (29-11) gave Hartland one final scare, scoring a run in the top of the seventh and putting two more runners on before Hartland freshman pitcher Rachel Everett got a flyout to end the game.
Junior catcher Brooke Cowan was 3 for 3 with a double and two RBI, and senior second baseman Bri Robeson was 2 for 4 with a double and drove in a run for the Eagles (33-5).
Sophomore Maddie Heilner was 2 for 4 and scored twice for Howell, and junior AJ Militello was 2 for 4 with a double and RBI. Freshman first baseman Avery Wolverton was 2 for 3 and drove in three runs for the Highlanders.
VIDEO: Brooke Cowan had three hits and two RBI for Hartland including this sixth-inning double.
PHOTOS: (Top) Caledonia's Sammie Gehrls prepares to unload a pitch during Thursday's first Division 1 Semifinal. (Middle) Hartland's Delaney Robeson heads to second base during her team's Semifinal win.