Photo by Josh Jambor Emalee Parsons is greeted at third base by head coach Paul Marwede after hitting a triple to right field. Alpena cruised to an 8-0 victory and advanced to the championship game of the tournament.

ALPENA – The Alpena Wildcats varsity softball team cruised to a 21-5 victory over the Garden City Cougars on Saturday, After a full day of ball, the girls secured the Wildcats Quad Tournament championship.

With the conclusion of this weekend’s games the Wildcats now sit at 18-4 on the season, and 6-0 in the Big North Conference.

Laura Poli had herself a day at the plate, smashing two home runs and driving in an incredible 12 runs. Poli launched a solo homer in the first inning and capped a six-run third with a grand slam to center field. Her day also included multiple extra-base hits.

The Wildcats scored eight runs in the bottom of the first inning alone. Key contributions came from Emma Darga, Bella Dickens, Maddie Spomer, with Poli delivering a two-run double during the rally. Alpena added five more runs in the second and six in the third, building an insurmountable lead.

Alpena collected 16 hits as a team with Lexie Souva, Spomer, Kaila Girard, Darga, and Dickens each recording multiple hits.

Souva earned the win on the mound, allowing four earned runs on just two hits with six strikeouts over three innings of action.

Alpena Head Coach Paul Marwede said although it was a busy weekend of softball for his team, he is pleased it concluded with a tournament championship.

“Very happy with the weekend of softball, going 4-0 including Friday’s game, we found ways to win,” Marwede said. “We never gave up, I thought the team showed a lot of grit, and we remained poised in some tough spots.”

“I am very proud of the girls,” Marwede added.

Alpena pulled off a thrilling comeback victory in the first game of the Wildcats Quad Tournament on Saturday, rallying for a 7-6 walk-off win against the Sandusky Wolves.

Trailing 6-5 entering the bottom of the seventh, Alpena loaded the bases and delivered when it mattered most. Emalee Parsons delivered the game-winning single down the left-field line, scoring two runs to seal the victory.

Georgia Alberts led the Wildcats’ offense, going 3 for 4 with two singles, and a double. Maddie Spomer added a clutch single in the seventh inning and finished with three RBIs. Paige Samp accounted for two of Alpena’s four stolen bases in the game.

On the mound, Souva earned the win in relief, tossing three scoreless innings with six strikeouts and just one hit allowed.

In the second game of the day for the girls, Paige Samp delivered a strong performance on the mound, striking out 10 batters and allowing just two hits and one walk or seven innings. Her strong outing helped the team cruise to an 8-0 victory over Negaunee in game two of the tournament.

Samp’s strong outing kept Negaunee off the scoreboard entirely, and Alpena erupted for seven runs in the sixth inning to put the game away.

Georgia Alberts started the scoring in the first inning with an RBI single. The decisive sixth inning featured an RBI triple from Emalee Parsons, and singles from Georgia Alberts and Claire Jarema.

Parsons and Alberts each drove in two runs for the Wildcats. Claire Jarema went 3 for 3 at the plate, and Laura Poli drew two walks as Alpena showed strong plate discipline with six walks in the game.