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Hurons, Tigers win district baseball, softball championships

Courtesy Photo Members of the Rogers City baseball and softball teams celebrate after winning Division 4 district titles on their respective home fields on Saturday. The Hurons softball team won its ninth consecutive district title, defeating Indian River Inland Lakes 8-6. The Rogers City baseball team defeated Johannesburg-Lewiston 2-1 to win their first district title since 2015.

ROGERS CITY — Make it nine in a row for the Rogers City softball team.

Jeffra Dittmar had three hits and four RBI and the Hurons held off a late rally attempt to beat Indian River Inland Lakes 8-6 in a Division 4 district final Saturday in Rogers City.

The win gives the Hurons (20-17) their ninth consecutive district title and moves them to a regional on Saturday in Indian River.

“This is one of the neatest ones of all,” Rogers City coach Karl Grambau said of winning the district title. “We’ve got a great group of kids who come to work and do their job.”

Rogers City advanced to the title game with a 7-5 win over Posen and the Bulldogs topped Onaway 17-1 in the other semifinal.

Courtesy Photo The Hillman softball poses after winning a Division 4 district title in Johannesburg. The Tigers defeated Joburg 5-1 to win their first district since 2015.

Dittmar repeatedly gave the Hurons some cushion in the final whenever the Bulldogs threatened to score. She had a two-run single in the second inning to give the Hurons a 3-1 lead and laced an RBI triple in the fourth inning to make it 5-2.

After Inland Lakes scored to make it 6-4 in the sixth inning, Dittmar had an RBI double in the bottom of the inning to make it 7-4.

Karissa Rabeau and Kaitlyn Nowicki also had an RBI each for the Hurons.

Inland Lakes threatened in the seventh inning, plating two runs with two outs to close the gap to 8-6, but Rogers City ended the threat and the Bulldogs left the bases loaded.

The Hurons led Posen 5-1 after two innings in the semifinal, but the Vikings scored twice in the third inning and once in the fourth to close the gap to 5-4. Rogers City tacked on one run in both the fifth and sixth innings and Posen scored once more in the top of the seventh.

Makayla Kamyszek and Abi Schellie had three hits each for Posen and Madison Kamyszek and Faith Cousins each had two hits.

Makayla Kamyszek had two RBI and Shelby Donajkowski and Madison Kamyszek each had one.

Hillman wins first district since 2015

JOHANNESBURG — For the first time since 2015, the Hillman softball team is a district champion.

The Tigers defeated Atlanta 12-2 and then defeated Johannesburg-Lewiston 5-1 to win a Division 4 district title.

The win moves the Tigers (22-18) to a regional in Indian River on Saturday.

In the title game, Nicole Barbeau earned the win for Hillman, allowing one hit and one run with six strikeouts in seven innings. She helped her own cause by going 3-for-3 with a double and a triple.

“The girls played error free ball and Nicole pitched an amazing game,” Hillman coach Ken Rundell said. “We were pleased with how we got the bat to the ball and played as a complete team.”

At the plate, Cassidy Benac and Kylee Green were 1-for-3 with a triple for Hillman; Melanie Morrison, Brooke Bennett and Regina Morrison were all 1-for-3 with a double.

Against Atlanta, Barbeau allowed an earned run on three hits with eight strikeouts in five innings.

Bennett was 3-for-4 with a triple; Melanie Morrison and Jessica Jones were both 2-for-3 with a double; and Benac and Barbeau were both 2-for-4 with a double.

BASEBALL

Hurons capture district title

ROGERS CITY — For the first time in six years, the Rogers City Hurons are district champions.

The host Hurons topped Posen 22-4 in the district semifinal Saturday in Rogers City and then edged third-ranked Johannesburg-Lewiston 2-1 in the district final.

The win moves the Hurons to a regional semifinal matchup at home against Gaylord St. Mary on Wednesday.

Rogers City plated a pair of runs early in the final and withstood a rally attempt by the Cardinals in the seventh inning.

Dillon Cook scored for the Hurons on a passed ball in the first inning and Cook singled to score Evan Fairbanks in the second inning.

Joburg loaded the bases with one out in the seventh inning, but the game ended when Joburg’s batter was called out for interference.

In the semifinals, Rogers City used a pair of big innings to power past Posen, scoring 11 runs each in the first and third innings.

Dylan LaFleche had a home run and six RBI for Rogers City. Nik Tulgeska and Fairbanks each had two hits and two RBI.

Joburg topped Hillman 2-1 in the other semifinal. The Cardinals scored twice in the first inning and Hillman scored in the fourth inning when Trenton Taratuta drove in Brady Firman with an RBI groundout. Rogers City’s Anthony Paull finished 16th in the boys shot put (39-7) and Hayden Hentkowski was 26th in the long jump (17-5 1/2).

Aden Sobeck led Hillman with two hits. AJ Jones took the mound for HIllman, striking out three and allowing two runs on nine hits.

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