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Area senior players net one last chance

Nearly 200 show their skills in fron of college coaches at fourth annual foundation event

A couple of hundred Metro Detroit senior boys basketball players got one final opportunity to impress college coaches Saturday at the Horatio Williams Foundation’s fourth annual Second Chance Basketball Games held at Detroit Renaissance High School.

The event was designed to highlight the skills of area seniors who have not yet received college scholarship offers in front of Division II, Division III, junior college, and community college coaches from around the state. Division I coaches cannot participate due to NCAA recruiting restrictions.

The majority of players participating came from Detroit high schools, but others came from as far as Flint, Port Huron, and Grand Blanc to play.

Nearly 200 boys played ins front of 27 college coaches during the event.

Senior girls will play next Saturday, April 17, at the Northwest Activity Center in Detroit beginning at noon. Girls can register by going to www.horatiowilliams.org.

"The idea was to give a kid an opportunity to play who might not have that opportunity," Williams told the Detroit News. "The key thing is to have college coaches have a look at these players. Maybe they hadn't seen them before. They get a chance to watch them compete and meet them, one on one."

Last year, 16 boys and six girls received college scholarships after the event.

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Photo: Battle Creek Enquirer

Olivet's Katie Platek and Katie Spotts (11) are all smiles after the Eagles defeated Leroy Pine River, 4-0, in a Class C quarterfinal at Wolters Stadium in Holland on Tuesday.

Sundberg strikes out 16 to lead Eagles

HOLLAND -

Battle Creek Enquirer -- It wasn't over before it started, but it sure didn't take long for the Olivet softball team to stamp its ticket to Battle Creek on Tuesday.

The Division 3 second-ranked Eagles scored three first inning runs in their state quarterfinal contest against Leroy Pine River at Hope College. And with ace Chelsea Sundberg throwing darts all afternoon, that was all Olivet needed in a 4-0 victory.

"When we start the first inning scoring runs, that's a bonus for us," said Olivet head coach Mark Sundberg. "We've been hitting the ball, and we got some runs on the board. We missed a few chances, but the ones we got did the job, so that's what we needed."

Olivet (41-1) advances to the Cereal City for the semifinals on Friday, where they will take on defending Division 3 state champion and fifth-ranked Gladstone (31-4). The two teams will begin play at 4 p.m. on Flannery 3 Field in the Bailey Park Sports Complex.

Sundberg's senior ace and daughter Chelsea showed why her name will be sprinkled all over the Michigan High Scholl Athletic Association record books before she takes her talents to Central Michigan University next year. She finished the quarterfinal contest by allowing just two hits with 16 strikeouts. Pine River struggled to even put the bat on the ball in the game, and fittingly, Sundberg ended the game with the ball in the catcher's glove as she struck out the side.

Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI

Photo: Grand Rapids Press:

Grand Rapids West Catholic's Matt Coulson, left, and Lance Buitendyk celebrate the Falcons' win on Tuesday.

West Catholic beats Owosso to advance to Division 2 baseball semifinals

EAST LANSING --

Grand Rapids Press -- West Catholic baseball coach Kevin Bouwhuis heard the question, thought about it for a few seconds, then smiled and shook his head.

Yes, his Falcons crammed plenty of big innings into their season: Big comebacks, critical plays, clutch hits, you name it.

But does anything compare to their fourth-inning rally during Tuesday's Division 2 quarterfinal againstOwosso at Michigan State's Kobs Field?

Uh. no.

With two outs and nobody on base, West Catholic exploded for seven runs. Turned out to be more than enough for the Falcons to capture its first quarterfinal in school history, ousting the Trojans 7-1.

OK Blue Conference champion West Catholic (31-3), ranked fifth in the state, advances to Friday's 11 a.m. semifinal at Battle Creek's C.O. Brown Stadium, taking on Mount Pleasant, a 5-0 winner against Pinconning.

"That was unbelievable. We've never had an inning quite like that," Bouwhuis said. "It just gets contagious. We've had different guys step up every game, everyone can hit, and this time our No. 9 really had the big hit."

Mt. Pleasant High School softball players celebrate after beating Pinnconning 1-0 in the state quarter finals game Tuesday at Margo Jonker Stadium at CMU. Sun photograph by LISA YANICK-JONAITIS

Troy High School softball player Colleen Burns, right, safely slides home with the first run of the game, as Sterling Heights Stevenson catcher Stephanie Falotico doesn't get the relay throw in time, in the top of the first inning. Photo taken on Tuesday, June 15, 2010, in Class A quarterfinal game played at Madison Heights Bishop Foley HS, in Madison Heights, Mich. (The Oakland Press/Jose Juarez)

Troy finally gets over the hump, advances to semifinals

MADISON HEIGHTS —

Oakland Press -- Three years of close calls and narrow misses can now be put safely in the past for the Troy softball team.

The Colts only objective now is preparing for Lakeland in Friday’s Division 1 semifinals, after they stormed past Sterling Heights Stevenson, 5-0, in Tuesday’s quarterfinals to advance to Battle Creek for the first time since 2003.

The Colts lost in the quarterfinals each of the past three seasons, but showed no nerves in Tuesday’s soothing win.

“(It’s) about time,” Troy coach Tom Calnen II said. “Every question was ‘Could we go back and do it again?’ And that’s not easy to carry around as a coach. I can’t imagine that it would be easy for a 17- or 18-year-old.”

In previous years, the Colts had played hard, but suffered a miscue here or a close play there that had hurt their chances.

Troy (33-6) meant business Tuesday, scoring a run in the first inning and then pelting four runs in the fifth to blow the game open.

Colleen Burns’ bunt single in the first inning got the Colts started, and after Jordan Wheatley reached on an error, Lynsey Mukomel smoked a pitch to right field to bring in Burns and put Troy on the board.

Stevenson looked like it might have an answer when Sarah Knodell singled to start the bottom half of the inning, and then advanced to third base on a sacrifice and groundout.

Photo: Mt. Pleasant Morning Sun

Mt. Pleasant players celebrate after defeating Pinconning on Tuesday.

MP baseball shuts down Pinconning 5-0

Mt. Pleasant Morning Sun -- Nothing is certain in the game of baseball, but Mt. Pleasant and coach Luke Epple look to have it almost down to a science.

The Oilers played the same style of baseball it has for years, utilizing fundamentals and good defense while pressuring its opponent, Pinconning, to make a number of mistakes as they went on to win the Division 2 quarterfinal at Theunissen Stadium Tuesday, 5-0.

“Knowing it is loud (at Theunissen Stadium) and we are at home and we have been in this position before, you could almost sense that there was going to be a little tightness (from Pinconning),” Mt. Pleasant coach Luke Epple said. “We like to put pressure on teams and that is what we do and how we practice. To us, it is nothing new and we are comfortable with that while maybe other teams don’t see it as much. I am just proud of how we pitched and played defense today and that we were able to take advantage of (Pinconning’s) mistakes.”

The Spartans were ousted by the Oilers at this stage a year ago and seemed motivated to have a different result this time around.

Pinconning opened the game by loading the bases with one out in the top of the first inning on Mt. Pleasant starter Blake Higgins, but Higgins regrouped and retired the next two batters to get out of the jam without any damage.

MP baseball shuts down Pinconning 5-0

Mt. Pleasant Morning Sun -- Nothing is certain in the game of baseball, but Mt. Pleasant and coach Luke Epple look to have it almost down to a science.

The Oilers played the same style of baseball it has for years, utilizing fundamentals and good defense while pressuring its opponent, Pinconning, to make a number of mistakes as they went on to win the Division 2 quarterfinal at Theunissen Stadium Tuesday, 5-0.

“Knowing it is loud (at Theunissen Stadium) and we are at home and we have been in this position before, you could almost sense that there was going to be a little tightness (from Pinconning),” Mt. Pleasant coach Luke Epple said. “We like to put pressure on teams and that is what we do and how we practice. To us, it is nothing new and we are comfortable with that while maybe other teams don’t see it as much. I am just proud of how we pitched and played defense today and that we were able to take advantage of (Pinconning’s) mistakes.”

The Spartans were ousted by the Oilers at this stage a year ago and seemed motivated to have a different result this time around.

Pinconning opened the game by loading the bases with one out in the top of the first inning on Mt. Pleasant starter Blake Higgins, but Higgins regrouped and retired the next two batters to get out of the jam without any damage.

“That was big and it was a big turnaround from there,” Epple said of the first inning. “Blake knew what pitches to throw and he threw strikes in the right spots.”

Defense lifts Garden City overSouthgate Anderson

David Goricki / The Detroit News

Ann Arbor --

Detroit News -- Carley Shattleroe was the starting catcher for Garden City her freshman year when the Cougars won the Division 1 state championship.

Now a junior, Shattleroe made the biggest play of her life Tuesday in a quarterfinal at Michigan's Alumni Field, throwing out Stephanie McNees at second in the final inning after McNees' RBI single pulled Southgate Anderson within 2-1.

Sophomore Kelsey Susalla retired the next batter, sending Garden City (28-5) back to Battle Creek for another shot at the championship.

"That was the most nerve-racking play of my life," Shattleroe said. "It was the best feeling ever when she was called out. It's awesome we're going back to Battle Creek. I can't wait to get there."

Shattleroe also led Garden City's seven-hit attack with two triples. Shattleroe had a triple in the second inning and scored on an error. She was stranded after her second triple, in the sixth.

Garden City had a 2-0 lead in the third when Ashley Lynn and Susalla had consecutive singles to lead off the inning. Susalla scored on a wild pitch.

Susalla, who threw consecutive shutouts in the regional, allowed seven hits without giving up a walk. She had to pitch out of a jam in the third. With runners on second and third with one out, Susalla retired Lindsay Colasinski on a pop out to short and Alyssa McCullough on a ground out.

"I just wanted to throw the ball over the plate," Susalla said. "I didn't want to walk anybody. I know I have a good defense behind me."

Garden City coach Barry Patterson didn't know what to expect from his team this year with nine sophomores, four juniors and one senior. What he's been getting is strong defense.

"Kelsey's throwing strikes and we're picking up the ball," Patterson said. "We're making teams earn everything they get, and we're taking advantage of mistakes. That's how you win."

Colasinski, who took the loss, had a double and single for Southgate (26-19).

Saline starting pitcher Cameron Keller (3) delivers a pitch during a Division 1 quarterfinal preps baseball game between UofD Jesuit and Saline. (RASHAUN RUCKER/DFP)

GREENVILLE — High School

For the fifth consecutive season, the USA softball team is heading ...Back to Battle Creek

Bad Axe Huron Daily Tribune -- A rebuilding year for most teams means a giant step back.

For the Unionville-Sebewaing Area softball squad, it means a return trip to Battle Creek for a fifth straight season, and a chance to defend the state championship.

The Patriots (30-3) punched their ticket with an impressive 5-2 victory over North Muskegon (32-4) here Tuesday in the Division 4 quarterfinals at Greenville High School.

“It’s unbelievable,” said USA coach Lary Houthoofd. “All I can say is wow.

“I didn’t think we would be here, I really didn’t. Coming back with how young we were... It is a rebuilding season. We’ve made some great strides.”

USA advances to play Onaway at 1:30 p.m. Friday at Bailey Park (Diamond 3) in Battle Creek. Onaway defeated Traverse City St. Francis, 3-2, on Tuesday.

Against North Muskegon, the young Patriots dealt with some early adversity, trailing for the first time this postseason.

Taylor Fris came through with an RBI single as the Norsemen put three of their first four batters on base.

Photo: Traverse City Record-Eagle

Traverse CitySt. Francis' Sydni Zamarron, right, is confronted by Onaway's Emily Estep as she slides into second base Tuesday.

Glads fall in softball quarterfinals

35-0 Onaway gets past St. Francis

TRAVERSE CITY —

Traverse City Record-Eagle -- After driving in all three Onaway runs and pitching the Cardinals to a Division 4 softball quarterfinal win over St. Francis on Tuesday, you would think Amanda Pomranke would be ready for a good night's rest.

Think again.

"I don't know if I'll sleep at all tonight," said the senior moments after a 3-2 win over the Gladiators at Traverse City West.

Pomranke survived a shaky fifth inning — when rain eventually delayed the game — and then held St. Francis in check the rest of the way.

Onaway, 35-0, will now face Unionville-Sebewaing in a semifinal Friday afternoon at Battle Creek's Bailey Park. Unionville-Sebewaing advanced with a 5-2 win over North Muskegon.

"This is so exciting because I've dreamed about this my whole life," Pomranke said. "To have it happen my senior season is just amazing."

It's the first time Onaway has reached the Final Four in softball.

"No Onaway girls team had ever won a regional before," Cardinals coach Jodi Brewbaker said. "We (the school) haven't gone downstate since the football team did it in 1976. It's pretty exciting."

To accomplish that feat, Onaway had to beat perennial power St. Francis, which also lost in the quarterfinals last season.

Saline tops U-D Jesuit in baseball quarterfinals

Ann Arbor --

Detroit News -- Saline took advantage of errors and made big plays defensively to earn an 8-2 win over University of Detroit Jesuit in a Division 1 baseball quarterfinal Tuesday at the University of Michigearnsan.

Saline will make its third consecutive trip to Battle Creek to compete in state finals weekend. The Hornets lost to Brother Rice in the state championship game in 2008 and to Warren De La Salle last year, also in the final.

Saline took advantage of a first-inning error to jump out to a 2-0 lead. With runners on first and second and one out, Al Zeiher hit a hard grounder to shortstop. Jesuit got the force at second, but the throw to first was wild, enabling a run to score. Garrett Gordon then hit an opposite-field RBI triple to right.

The Hornets added two more in the second to push the lead to 4-0, highlighted by a lead-off double by Tim Bruley and an RBI single by Mark Sheridan.

Jesuit took itself out of a possible big inning in the second when a runner was retired at second after getting too far off the bag after an RBI double.

Saline senior Cameron Keller on the mound Tuesday against University of Detroit Jesuit.

Frankfort headed to Division 4 state semis

Panthers rally in seventh to beat Rogers City 6-4

TRAVERSE CITY —

Traverse City Record-Eagle -- Down to its last three outs, Frankfort rallied Tuesday to advance to its third consecutive Division 4 baseball Final Four.

The Panthers scored three runs in the top of the seventh to edge Rogers City 6-4 in a quarterfinal at Traverse City West.

"This was the toughest of the three (quarterfinals)," Panthers junior Kyle Zimmerman said. "They're (Rogers City) a good team. We fought hard and got it done."

Frankfort, 31-8, will face defending state champion Beal City on Friday afternoon at Battle Creek's Bailey Park. The Aggies beat the Panthers 2-0 in last year's semifinals.

"We're just happy to be there," Frankfort coach Mike Zimmerman said. "Beal's a very good team. They're the measuring stick in Class D for everybody. They have a program that's second to none. They're one of the top teams in the state in any class. We're kind of the Cinderella. Nobody expected us to get back (to the Final Four) after losing almost all our starters.

"They're definitely going to be the favorite. They have a veteran squad that's been there and proven they can do it. We have a lot of young kids that hopefully will step up to the challenge."

Sports.Bishop Foley rolls into semifinals with 11-1 win

FLUSHING -

Royal Oak Daily Tribune -- No, the Bishop Foley Ventures aren't mathematically challenged - far from it. But it may have sounded that way when the team beat Memphis 11-1 in a Division 3 quarterfinal Tuesday afternoon at Flushing High School.

The players' post game chant was "One-two-three, TWO!"

"Every day after we break it down, we'll say the number of games left until the state championship," explained junior Danny Zuchowski. "We've got five down, two to go."

A state semifinal game against Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard awaits the Ventures at noon, Friday, at Battle Creek's Morrison Field. The winner of that game would play in the Division 3 state championship game against Bath or Shepherd at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

Tuesday, Zuchowski stymied the Yellowjackets by throwing six no-hit innings on just 67 pitches. He didn't allow a base-runner until giving up the first of his two walks in the sixth inning, and Memphis hadn't even hit a ball out of the infield by that point.

"I felt good," Zuchowski said. "I wanted to get ahead of hitters and throw first-pitch strikes."

In addition to not allowing a hit, Zuchowski had seven strikeouts.

"He was throwing hard," said Memphis coach Ron Lawrence. "This guy had good control of his curve ball and set up the hitters well. He was one of the two best pitchers we've seen all year."

"He's a very good pitcher," echoed Bishop Foley coach Buster Sunde. "By pitching ahead of the hitters, it keeps our defense on its toes. We're lucky we have a good combination of Danny, Jeff (Schalk) and Brad (Schalk). Then can all throw strikes."

> AnnArbor.com: Ann Arbor Pioneer downs Canton

> AnnArbor.com: Saline tops University of Detroit Jesuit

> Detroit Free Press: Saline advances

> Detroit News: Homer in eighth powers Ann Arbor Pioneer over Canton

> Detroit News: L’Anse Creuse North eliminates Rochester Adams

> Detroit News: Saline beats University of Detroit Jesuit

> Grand Rapids Press: Saginaw Heritage downs Holland West Ottawa

> Holland Sentinel: Outstanding season ends for West Ottawa

> Holland Sentinel: West Ottawa falls to Saginaw Heritage

> Macomb Daily: L’Anse Creuse North heading to Battle Creek

> Saginaw News: Saginaw Heritage knocks off Holland West Ottawa

> Saginaw News: Shepherd returns to Final Four