Hart softball claims third straight district title

Pirates down Shelby, Mason County Central to advance to regionals

By: Brendan Samuels

The Oceana Echo Sports Editor

HART – For the third time in as many years, Hart softball punched their ticket to the regional tournament. It took wins over two conference opponents on Saturday, June 3 to do so, but the Pirates prevailed, taking down Shelby, 24-0, and Mason County Central, 10-7.

In order to get to the finals round, Hart first had a date with their rival Shelby in the semifinals. That matchup proved too much for the Tigers, who were fielding an inexperienced team that played a JVVarsity hybrid schedule this season.

The Pirates got off to a hot start in the shutout win over Shelby, scoring all of their runs in the first two innings. Three Hart batters notched multiple hits with Mackenna Carrier, Gabby Quijas and Ambrielle Duncan all having big games. Duncan was the catalyst on offense, driving in four runs on three hits and crossing the plate once herself.

Quijas started the day on the rubber, pitching just two innings where she struck out five and allowed just one hit. Addison Schiller pitched one inning in relief, striking out two before the game was ended by mercy rule after three frames.

Shelby had just three hits in the loss as they struggled mightily. Claire Gowell, Addison Shook and Aspen Corey were responsible for the Tigers’ only offense. That advanced Hart to the finals where they’d have to face the Spartans in order to claim a district title.

Before they could even take on MCC, the Pirates were forced to wait out a passing storm that brought rain. That wasn’t the last storm they’d weather over the coming hours.

When play began, Hart found itself in a close game in which they held a 3-2 advantage after the top of the third. The Spartans went on to score four runs in that same stanza thanks to an RBI from an MCC hitter, combined with multiple mistakes by the Pirates’ defense.

Kelsey Copenhaver was pulled from the pitcher’s circle in the third inning after allowing five earned runs on three hits and eight walks while striking out three. Thanks to a brief outing against Shelby, Quijas was reinserted to finish out the game.

Quijas flipped the script, allowing eight hits but only a single run over the remainder of the game. That allowed her team to crawl back into the game and steal the win out from underneath MCC thanks to seven runs combined in the fifth and sixth innings.

Offensively for Hart, Makayla Rockwell and Gabby Schmieding were on fire. Both had just a single hit in three at bats, but Schmieding recorded three RBIs and Rockwell had an additional two. Quijas also joined the multiple RBI club, driving in two.

Hart now becomes district champs for the third straight year and will turn their attention to the regional semifinals. That game will take place on Saturday where the Pirates will take on Kingsley (9-10) at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Middle School in Traverse City at 10 a.m.