News Photo by Jonny Zawacki Marquette’s Chelsea Wiggins (14) gets mobbed at the plate after hitting a go-ahead three-run home run during the eighth inning of a district semifinal game against Alpena on Friday in Alpena.

For the third year in a row, the Alpena softball team experienced a fate that it is all to familiar with as the Wildcats were once again tripped up by Marquette, losing another heartbreaker to the Redettes, this time in a district semifinal game 3-0 in eight innings on Friday in Alpena.

“Each team had scoring chances throughout the game, but the phrase fit, the first one to blink could end up losing and I give Marquette credit, they pitched well, played strong defense and came up with the big hit when they needed it,” Alpena coach Paul Marwede said.

Marquette’s Chelsea Wiggins shouldered the load for her team as she put together a heroic effort both in the circle and in the batters box. The Oakland University-bound Wiggins pitched all eight innings and shut out the Wildcats, limiting Alpena to three hits as she walked one and fanned 12.

At the plate, Wiggins went collected three of Marquette’s five hits as she went a perfect 3-for-3 with a double, single, walk and had the biggest hit of the game when she hit a three run home run to center field in the top of the eighth inning to propel the Redettes to victory.

“She (Wiggins) is a D1 college player and she showed that today. She is a strong, overpowering pitcher and you just have to try and do your best to catch up to it throughout the game,” Marwede said. “A pitcher like that is going to to get her fair share of strikeouts. We put a few balls in play, but just didn’t string enough hits together in a row.”

As good as Wiggins was, Alpena starter Emma Fraser put together a gutsy effort herself, pitching seven shutout innings as she allowed just two hits. Fraser allowed a first inning double to Wiggins and tossed four consecutive innings without giving up a hit.

Fraser escaped a huge jam in the top of the seventh inning. Wiggins led off with a single before Fraser struck out the next batter and allowed back-to-back walks to load the bases with one out. Fraser was able to bear down and strike the next two batters out to keep the game tied.

Alpena’s best chance to get on the board came in the fifth inning when it had runners on first and second, but just could not come up with the big hit it needed.

Fraser, Jessica Marwede and Abbie Funk each had a hit each for the Wildcats (31-8) as Fraser and Marwede both doubled and Marwede added a stolen base in her final game wearing the green and white.

After Fraser got out of the jam, Alpena went down in order in the seventh as the game went into extra innings. Jade Schultz relieved Fraser and struck the first batter out she faced, but then allowed back-to-back singles to leadoff batter Hannah Bulinski and Kaliegh Duncan which brought Wiggins to the plate with runners on first and second with one out when she came up with game’s biggest hit.

“We respected her and we were in a bind with runners on first and second with one away. If we put her on we’re in a position that really makes it hard on the pitcher,” Marwede said. “She (Wiggins) could have just as well hit the ball hard at somebody too. Even though she’s an outstanding hitter, we pitched to her. Hats off to her and the Marquette team.”

With the loss, Alpena saw another successful season come to an abrupt end. The Wildcats have been able to win the Big North Conference each of the past seven years along with finishing with impressive overall records, but have run into some tough luck against Marquette as of late.

“This was an outstanding group of kids. We probably achieved a lot more than what most thought we would at the beginning of the season,” Marwede said. “It was a fun, hard working group of kids and it was a privilege to coach this group. It was a true team.”

Jonny Zawacki can be reached via email at jzawacki@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5690.