The Alpena High School softball team advanced to 7-9 after beating Tawas Area High School 7-5 and 12-5 in a doubleheader on Thursday in Tawas.

Coach Paul Marwede said Alpena trailed 5-2 entering the seventh inning of the first game, but rallied for three runs to tie the game at 5-5 and eventually ended up winning the game by scoring two times in the ninth.

Lilly Rospierski was the winning pitcher, pitching a complete game.

Alpena was led by Georgia Alberts, Laura Poli, Lilly Rospierski, Ava Rospierski, and Emilee Modrzejewski, all with two hits each.

In the second game, Tawas jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead by scoring four times in the first inning.

Alpena answered with a two-run home run by Rospierski in the second inning and had big innings in the middle frames to take a 12-5 win.

Rospierski picked up the win by pitching five scoreless innings in relief. She led the team with three hits and Alberts added two hits.

WILDCATS FALL TO GAYLORD

The Alpena High School girls soccer team fell to Gaylord High School 4-1 on Thursday in Gaylord.

The loss drops Alpena’s record to 6-6-1

Coach Gregg Supiran said the Wildcats got off to a rough start with Gaylord scoring two quick goals in the first few minutes of the first half. Alpena’s girls fought back late in the first half with a goal from Laurel Alberts, assisted by Reese Wiesnieski.

The team worked hard through the rest of the game but couldn’t find the net.

The back line of Annabelle and Sidney LaCross, Alison Borowski, and Sophie Kindt, along with midfielder Anna Skiba, played tough and worked hard to keep Gaylord out of the defensive third, but Gaylord capitalized on a few opportunities and scored two more goals in the second half.

ALCONA SWEEPS MIO IN DOUBLEHEADER

The Alcona High School softball team clobbered the Mio Thunderbolts in both games of a doubleheader on Thursday in Harrisville, the Tigers’ first games of league play.

Alcona won 5-1 in game one and 16-3 in game two.

In game one, Miah Schopfer was on the mound, pitching six innings. She had 14 strikeouts and two walks, throwing another no hitter.

Offensively, Baylee Goddard went two-for-three, hitting a single and double with an RBI. Addison Beatty, Hannah Renchenski, Schopfer, and Gracyn Tracy all added singles, with Renchenski tallying three RBIs and Sage Gauthier added an RBI.

In the second game, Schopfer was on the mound again, throwing five innings, striking out nine, with one walk and only giving up three hits.

Offensively, Beatty went three-for-four, hitting two doubles and a single, Goddard went three-for-three, with three singles. Gauthier added a single and a home run. Renchenski had a single and a double, and Ella Gehring, Rylee Kroon, Kiah Schofer, and Tracy all added singles.

WILDCATS SHOOT 378 AT THE LOOP

At The Loop at Forest Dunes on Friday, the Wildcats boys golf team shot a 378, while the winning team shot a 290.

Coach Tate Skiba said some of the top teams in the state attended the tournament, including reigning state champions Grand Rapids Christian, who won with a 290.

Leading Alpena’s scoring was senior Avery Spicer, who shot 88.