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Home-opening split

Wildcats unable to complete comeback in nightcap

News Photo by Jonny Zawacki Alpena’s Emma Fraser (left) applies a tag to Ogemaw-Heights baserunner Nicole Sancrant (24) at third base. Sancrant was called out trying to advance on base hit to center field in the second inning in game on of a doubleheader on Monday at Alpena High School.

It took a while, but the Alpena softball team was finally able to play on its home field Monday as they welcomed Ogemaw-Heights for a doubleheader.

The Wildcats looked sharp in game one, winning by a score of 3-0 behind superb pitching from sophomore Jade Schultz. The nightcap was a different story as Alpena fell behind early and was unable to complete a wild comeback, losing by a final of 15-12 as the Wildcat split their home opener.

Schultz was in control from the opening pitch as she struck out the side in the first and no-hit the Falcons through the first four innings. Alpena opened the scoring in the home half of the second inning when Emily Vivian ripped a double that scored Tara Myers who pinch ran for Mallory Kautz who led off the inning with a single.

Vivian came around to score one batter later when Sydney Chojnacki singled her home.

Two runs was more than enough for Schultz who went the distance, pitching a complete game shutout, going all seven innings, allowing just two hits and struck out 10 Falcons.

The Wildcats added their third and final run of the game in the sixth when Allie DeRocher reached on an error and later scored on a wild pitch.

Alpena collected seven hits in the game as seven different Wildcats cracked the hit column.

It looked as if Alpena was poised to pull off the sweep at home as they opened the nightcap with two runs in the top of the first inning, but Ogemaw responded with three runs in the bottom of the first when Taylor Casselman singled in two runs to put the Falcons on top.

Alpena was held to one run over the next two innings as Vivian doubled with one out in the top of the third and scored on a single off the bat of Rachel McDonald.

The Falcons scored two runs in the second on a two-run home run from Ashlyn Dantzer and blew the game wide open in the third as they batted around the order and scored five runs to take a 10-3 lead.

Alpena was held scoreless in the fourth and Ogemaw added four runs to take a 14-3 lead and force the Wildcats to score at least two runs to avoid a five inning mercy.

Alpena was down to its last strike with the bases loaded, but Myers drew a bases loaded walk to get a rally going. The Wildcats exploded with two outs, scoring six runs in the top of the fifth, all with two outs to cut the lead to 14-9 and make the game interesting.

Ogemaw added one more run in the sixth, but despite trailing by six in the top of the seventh, Alpena didn’t go down quietly. Emma Fraser drew a leadoff walk and Dayna LaBell reached on an error. Vivian came through again, going opposite field, splitting the right-center field gap to drive in both Fraser and LaBell to bring the Wildcats within four. A batter later, McDonald reached on an error and Riley Alexander doubled to score Vivian and cut the lead to 15-12, with the tying run at the plate. Alpena had two more chances, but suffered a ground out and fly out as the comeback came up just a bit short.

Dantzer provided a big spark for the Falcons who took advantage of free passes and got to Fraser who started game two for Alpena. Dantzer went 3-for-4 with a home run, four RBI and four runs scored. Maddie Tousigna also went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs.

Alpena was once again led at the plate by Vivian who had a solid night at the plate collecting three doubles in the doubleheader, including two in the nightcap where she went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBI. Alexander went 3-for-5 with an RBI and run scored. Fraser, Schultz and DeRocher each collected two hits apiece in the game two defeat.

With the split, Alpena is 3-5 overall on the season and will be back in action tomorrow when they travel to Cadillac to play a Big North Conference doubleheader against the Vikings.

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