The County Press

Lapeer softball falls to Richmond



Lapeer’s Ryley Evoy gets ready to make a connection during a game against Davison on May 9. Photo by Kylee Richardson

Lapeer’s Ryley Evoy gets ready to make a connection during a game against Davison on May 9. Photo by Kylee Richardson

LAPEER — The Lapeer softball team was swept by Richmond 18-6 and 9-0 on Thursday.

Richmond grabbed a 9-2 lead in the first inning in the early game and never looked back, adding three in the second, one in the third, one in the fourth, one in the fifth and three in the sixth. Lapeer drove in three runs in the fourth and one in the fifth.

Bri Opalewski opened the game in the circle, striking out two and allowed 10 hits, 12 runs and two walks over two innings. Riley Hoover struck out one and gave up six hits and six runs over four innings.

Paige Erla was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run. Ellie Greene had two hits and drove in a pair of runs. Hannah Erla added a pair of hits and two runs. Bailey Allen was 3-for-3 with two runs scored.

In the late game, Richmond scored three in the second, four in the third and two in the fifth. Ellie Greene took the loss in the circle, giving up 11 hits, nine runs and three walks. Paige Erla and Leah Ruddock had a hit each, combining for Lapeer’s only hits on the game.

On Wednesday, the Lightning won both ends of the twin bill against Saginaw Heritage. Lapeer won the first game 11-1 and carried the momentum into the late game to win 15-3.

Lapeer grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second inning in the early game. Neither team scored against until the sixth when Lapeer drove in 10 runs and Saginaw Heritage scored one. Opalewski earned the win, striking out five and giving up six hits and two walks over six innings.

Opalewski also had three hits on the game and two RBI. Ryley Evoy was 4-for-4 from the plate with three runs and an RBI. Greene added two hits and two runs and Leah Ridenour had two hits, two RBI and a run.

In the late game, the Lightning took a 9-3 lead in the first and added two in the second, one in the third and three in the sixth. Greene tossed five innings, retiring six will giving up four hits, three runs and two walks.

Paige Erla had two hits on the game, an RBI and scored three times. Ruddock added a pair of hits, three runs and an RBI. Hannah Erla had a pair of hits, an RBI and two runs. Evoy and Meredith Morell added a pair of hits each.

The Lightning split with Pontiac Notre Dame Prep on Tuesday. Lapeer dropped the first game 4-2 but bounced back to take the late win, 9-6.

Lapeer held a 2-0 lead after the second inning in the early game but Notre Dame Prep stole the win with four runs in the fourth.

Opalewski took the loss, striking out two and giving up five hits and four runs.

Ruddock had two hits on the game. Hannah Erla, Opalewski, Ridenour and Maddie Mckinney added a hit each.

In the nightcap, Lapeer took a 2-0 lead in the first and never looked back, adding one in the fourth, four in the fifth and two in the seventh. Notre Dame Prep attempted a comeback with six runs in the seventh but fell short.

Greene went the distance in the circle, fanning five while allowing nine hits, six runs and a walk. Opalewski was 3-for-4 from the plate with an RBI and a run. Morell was 3-for-4 as well with an RBI and three runs scored. Paige Erla was 4-for-5 with three RBI and two runs.

Lapeer, 13-14, will be at Flint Powers on Thursday. — K.R.

ALMONT

The Lady Raiders were slated to face Utica Eisenhower on Thursday, but the game was canceled. On Tuesday, Almont dropped a pair of games to Armada 3-1 and 15-11.

In the first game, Almont scored its lone run in the first inning, while Armada scored one in the first, fourth and sixth innings. Olivia Malcolm, Hannah Feys, Emily Henige and Sarah Hall all had two hits to lead Almont. Grace Johnson, Laken Campbell, Emily Klassa and Samantha Dyer each had one hit. Malcolm pitched all six innings for Almont, giving up eight hits with two strikeouts and no walks.

During the nightcap, Almont scored two in the first inning, one in the third, three in both the fourth and fifth innings and two in the seventh for the loss. Armada scored two in the first, one in the second, five in the fourth and seven in the top of the seventh inning.

Feys had three hits and four RBI to lead Almont. Hall had four hits with one RBI, Hannah Landerschier had three hits and Johnson had two hits with three RBI. Campbell and Rachael Schapman had one hit and one RBI each and Dyer and Emily Klassa both had a hit. Malcolm took the loss in the circle, giving up 15 hits with one strikeout.

Almont hosted Yale on Friday after we went to press. — A.V.

DRYDEN

The Lady Cardinals won 10-0 and 23-8 over Mayville at home on Tuesday.

In the opener, Paige Abromaitis finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored and Ally Sobek finished 2-for-2 with one RBI and two runs scored to lead the offense. Courtney Heike was 1-for-3 with one run, Riley Knox was 1-for-1 with one RBI and Natalie Embree was 2-for-4 with three runs and two stolen bases. Knox was the winning pitcher with two strikeouts.

During the nightcap, Sobek led the team with three hits, two RBI and four runs. Abromaitis was 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs, Miya Wolff was 2-for- 3 with three RBI and three runs and Embree was 3-for-4 with three runs and one RBI. Josie Carpenter was 2-for-2 with two runs and Lauren Pease scored one run. Knox was the winning pitcher.

“The Lady Cardinals’ bats came to life, hopefully it sticks around,” said Dryden coach Carl Grondin.

Dryden hosted Deckerville on Friday after we went to press. — A.V.

MAYVILLE

The Lady Cats lost to Peck 11-6 on Thursday night.

Mayville was swept by Dryden 10-0 and 23-8 on Tuesday night. The opener lasted five innings, while the nightcap ended in three innings. — J.O.

NORTH BRANCH

The Broncos won both contests, 2-1 and 7-3, in a Blue Water Area Conference twin bill against Imlay City on Tuesday.

Imlay City took a short-lived 1-0 lead in the first inning in the early game, but North Branch scored one in the second and one in the fourth to take the win. Maeson Schlaud tossed al seven innings, fanning 12 while giving up just one hit and one run.

Madison Taylor had two hits for North Branch. Reese Ruhlman added a hit, an RBI and a run. Claire Lyons, Schlaud, Autumn Deshetsky, Clare Westphal and Emily Ludescher each had a hit.

Isabella Barker pitched six innings and Imlay City’s only hit came off the bat of Emma Sellers. Abigail Thibodeau scored the lone run.

The Broncos grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second inning in the late game. Imlay City then scored one in the third and one in the fourth to even the score at 2-2. Both teams added a run each in the fifth before North Branch put the game away with three runs in the sixth and one in the seventh.

Schlaud earned the win, retiring eight while giving up six hits and three runs. Westphal led the North Branch offense with three hits, two runs and an RBI. Ruhlman added a pair of hits and two runs. Amy Ludescher had two hits and a run.

Jaya Forti and Mackenzie Hayward collaborated for three strikeouts in the nightcap. Forti also put up two hits and an RBI and Leah Dawson and Hayward both added a hit and an RBI. Barker, Sellers and Kendall Whitsett each had a hit.

Imlay City was at Bay City Central on Saturday after County Press deadlines. North Branch is at Millington on Tuesday. — K.R./B.P.