Marquette Sentinels softball team takes it on chin in Gladstone
GLADSTONE — Marquette just couldn’t keep up with Gladstone in a high school softball doubleheader played at the Braves’ field on Thursday with Gladstone prevailing 10-0 and 12-1.
Next up for the Sentinels are a pair of home doubleheaders to start next week, with a twinbill against Superior Central at 4:30 p.m. Monday and a double dip vs. Sault Ste. Marie at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Marquette also has a doubleheader at Kingsford at 4 p.m. EDT Thursday.
Here are details from the Gladstone twinbill:
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Gladstone 10, Marquette 0
In Thursday’s opener, the Sentinels gave up multiple runs in only two innings — three in the third and five in the sixth.
But without any run production, that was all Gladstone would need for a dominating performance that invoked the 10-run rule with two outs in the bottom of the sixth.
Charlye Swajanen went the distance on the pitching rubber for Marquette, allowing 10 runs — but only one of them earned — on 10 hits as she walked three and struck out nine in 5 2/3 innings.
The Sentinels committed six errors that helped make nine of the runs unearned.
Swajanen also led her team’s offense, going 2 for 3 with a double, the team’s only extra-base hit among four as CeCe Fuller and Alexa Whaley each collected a single.
Tia Schone was masterful on the bump for the Braves, allowing just those four hits and no walks in six innings as she fanned 11 in going the distance.
Gladstone’s Tianna Reynolds cracked a home run, her team’s only extra-base hit among 10 as she went 2 for 4 with three RBIs.
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Gladstone 12, Marquette 1
In the nightcap, the Braves built their lead more quickly, scoring six in the second inning off seven hits and rolling up a dozen runs in the first four innings.
Fuller started and pitched three innings for Marquette, allowing 10 runs, nine of them earned, on 14 hits as she walked one and K’d two. Ava Hanford relieved her for the final inning, giving up two earned runs on two hits and three walks as she also struck out two. The pair combined to throw 111 pitches, 67 for strikes.
Lauren Pare pitched all five innings for Gladstone, scattering five hits as she allowed one earned run with two walks as she fanned five.
Swajanen again led the Sentinels’ offense by going 2 of 3 with a double and an RBI. Teammate Lily Smigiel also doubled, walked and scored her team’s lone run in the third, while Whaley and Grace Sandstrom each singled.
Schone led the Braves’ 16-hit offense, going 4 for 4 with an RBI and run scored, while Pare was 3 of 4 with an RBI. Gladstone’s Ava Goodman, who doubled, and Lauren Sundquist each had two hits, three RBIs and two runs scored.
Marquette’s defense improved markedly from the opener, committing just two errors as Gladstone had one.
Story contents based on emails from MSHS softball representative Bill Finkbeiner with the aid of GameChanger Media. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.