TRAVERSE CITY-Chelsea Wiggins and Marquette got the better of the Alpena softball team again.

Wiggins struck out nine and the Redettes scored a run in the fourth inning to beat the Wildcats 1-0 in a Division 1 district final on Friday in Traverse City.

Wiggins and Marquette had previously beaten Alpena in last year’s district final.

With two outs in the fourth, Marquette got an infield single and followed it up with an RBI double, which accounted for their only two hits in the game.

Lauren Heath allowed a run on two hits for Alpena (29-11) and struck out 10.

“The game came down to we didn’t do enough to win,” Alpena coach Paul Marwede said. “Lauren pitched an exceptional game and deserved a better outcome.”

Alpena had runners in scoring position several times as the Wildcats had a runner on second base in each of the first three innings, but couldn’t bring them home.

Alpena finished with four hits. Mykayla Price was 2-for-3 and Jessica Marwede and Jenna VanDusen each had a single.

In the district semifinal, Alpena routed Traverse City West 10-0 in five innings. Heath and Price combined to throw a no-hitter and Heath struck out five of the first nine batters she faced.

Price opened the scoring for Alpena with a three-run home run in the first inning and also had a double.

Despite the loss, Marwede praised the efforts of Heath and Alpena’s other seniors for their efforts this season.

“I congratulate our seniors on a good season, (winning) a Big North title and playing a nice game today,” Marwede said.

In Au Gres, the Alcona softball team lost a Division 4 district semifinal matchup against Mio, 6-4.

BASEBALL

Traverse City West 6, Alpena 2

TRAVERSE CITY-The Alpena High baseball team’s stay in the postseason was a short one as the Wildcats lost 6-2 to Traverse City West in a Division 1 district semifinal on Friday.

Alpena (18-10-1) scored a run in the first inning as an RBI force out by Bailey Marquardt scored Joe Ayala. The Wildcats scored again in the third inning as Ayala singled home Braeden Werth.

That proved to be the end of Alpena’s scoring as the Titans ralled for two unearned runs in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game and went on to score a run in the fourth inning to take a 3-2 lead.

The Titans added three more runs in the sixth inning.

Nick Skiba started for Alpena and allowed three runs in five innings. Dylan Tucker and Rhett McDonald both saw some time in relief.

“We played them pretty tight and did a nice job,” Alpena coach Phil Schultz said. “I’m real happy with the season and looking forward to good things in the future.”

Alcona falls in district final

AU GRES – The Alcona baseball team suffered defeat in a Division 4 district final matchup, falling to Whittemore-Prescott by a final score of 9-5 in Au Gres on Friday.

Coda Gallagher started the game on the mound for Alcona and took the loss. The Tigers found themselves trailing by a score of 7-3 after just two innings of play, were unable to mount a comeback and saw their season come to an end.

“We won 20 games this season and the kids played well, unfortunately you have to lose sometime and I thought everyone showed signs of improvement throughout the year,” Alcona coach Terry Franklin said.

Gallagher was 3-for-4 at the plate in the championship game and Erik Davey went 2-for-4 in the losing effort.

The Tigers were able to get to the title game by knocking off Hale in the district semifinal game, winning by a score of 17-0.

Davey was the winning pitcher and struck out four batters. At the plate, Davey helped his own cause going 1-for-2 and Nate Swinson was 1-for-1 with a double.

“A lot of these kids will hopefully continue playing throughout the summer and I’m looking forward to seeing how much they improve for next year,” Franklin said.

GOLF

Alcona struggles at

regionals

TRAVERSE CITY-The Alcona golf team finished with a team score of 428 during a Division 4 regional on Wednesday and failed to qualify for the state finals.

Hunter Clissold led Alcona with a 92 and Trevor Clissold added a 195. Matthew MacMaster shot a 115, Lauren Yokom shot a 126 and Seth Stelmachowske shot a 130.

Frankfort won the regional with a team score of 353.

Rogers City’s two individual qualifiers, Bailey Budnik and Justin Robin, shot a 1-7 and 97 respectively.