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Breaking in the bats

Hurons collect 30 hits in doubleheader sweep of Hillman

News Photo by Jonny Zawacki Rogers City’s Taylor Fleming launches a solo home run to left-center field during game one of a doubleheader on Wednesday at Hillman High School.

HILLMAN — Two of the North Star League’s top offensive teams took to the diamond on Wednesday, but one team proved why they’re among the top teams in the state at Class D.

Rogers City combined for 30 hits in a doubleheader sweep of Hillman, winning by scores of 17-2 and 14-7 to improve to 12-2 overall on the season.

“It was a nice couple of wins for us against a very good Hillman team. I thought we hit the ball very well. I thought we were pretty patient at the plate and hit good pitches,” Rogers City coach Karl Grambau said.

The Hurons wasted no time smashing the ball around the yard and piling up the runs as they opened with a six run top of the first to put Hillman in a hole early.

Kayla Rabeau laced a one out double to get the rally going and Taylor Fleming singled home two runs and a batter later Kyrsten Altman singled home Fleming. Catheryn Hart and Kristin Brege each drove in a run as Rogers City batted around the order in the opening frame.

The Hurons didn’t let up as they continued to put balls in play and make life challenging for the Hillman defense. Rogers City added two runs in the third and a run in the second when Fleming led off with a tape measure home run to left-center field to put the Hurons up 8-1.

Rogers City put an exclamation point on the game one win as they batted around again in the sixth. Hannah Fleming led off the inning with a solo home run and hit a three-run shot in her second at bat of the inning to plate the Hurons’ final runs of the contest.

Jayna Hance started on the mound and picked up the win as she pitched all six innings, allowing two runs on four hits, walked two and struck out five.

Hannah Fleming belted two home runs, drove in four and scored three times. Taylor Fleming went 3-for-5 with three RBI and three runs scored. Hance had three hits, three RBI and a run scored. Kayla Rabeau added two hits, two runs and an RBI. Amanda Wirgau and Brooke Daniels each had two hits and scored twice. Brege chipped in with two hits, three RBI and a run scored.

Hillman scored one run in the first and one in the fifth for their only runs of the game. Briley Tyler singled twice and Bailey Schook and Autumn Jones each collected a hit apiece. Schook and Alison Samp came across to score Hillman’s two runs.

“Rogers City is a top program and it’s always a good measure to see where you’re at. I was proud of our girls. We still have a little growing to do and I thought they battled them well. We will have some great takeaways from this game and move forward and build game by game,” Hillman coach Ken Rundell said. “They’re a very hard team to come back on when they get a bunch of runs on you early. We did put the ball in play and we have a lot of pieces that are falling into place, we just need to keep polishing them.”

The Hurons again wasted no time scoring to open the nightcap. Hance drew a leadoff walk and scored when Hannah Fleming reached on an error. Hannah Fleming scored on a double off the bat of Taylor Fleming who also scored two batters later on a double from Amanda Wirgau to give Rogers City an early three run advantage.

The Tigers didn’t back down as Lyndsey Ryba and Schook started the home half of the first with back-to-back singles. Brooke Jones doubled home Ryba and Hillman took advantage of some early Huron mistakes as they scored a pair of runs on errors. Alison Samp delivered a big hit in the inning, driving in Andrea Taratuta and Jozie Appelgren on a two-out double to give the Tigers their only the lead of the night.

Hillman’s lead was short lived as Rogers City continued swinging the hot bat as they scored four runs in the second and once again batted around in the third and plated seven runs.

Altman started the game and settled in after the Tigers opened with five runs in the first. Altman pitched all six innings, gave up seven runs on 11 hits and fanned seven batters.

Taylor Fleming reached base in all five plate appearances as she walked four times and hit a double. Fleming also scored three runs, drove in one and stole a base. Wirgau went 3-for-3 with a double, two RBI and a run scored. Hance collected a pair of hits, scored three runs, drove in one and stole a base. Rabeau added two hits, scored twice and drove in a pair. Hannah Fleming had two hits, three RBI and scored three runs and Altman added a two RBI single and scored.

“I’m happy with where we’re at and I think we’re getting better each day. I can see improvement and we’re looking for improvement in certain areas and I think we see it,” Grambau said. “I think we’re headed in the right direction and just have to take it one game at a time and one practice at a time.”

Offensively for the Tigers, Ryba, Appelgren and Autumn Jones each had two hits apiece. Ryba and Schook scored two runs. Brooke Jones had an RBI double, Samp doubled in two runs and both Taratuta and Appelgren scored a run each.

Hillman currently sits at 9-3 overall on the season and will play their fourth doubleheader in as many days today when they host Rudyard.

Rogers City will also return to the diamond today when they travel to Alcona.

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