Prep Roundup: Comets sweep Pellston in softball doubleheader

MACKINAW CITY – The Mackinaw City softball team rolled to a non-conference doubleheader sweep over Pellston with 13-2 and 16-6 home victories on Monday.  

In game one, Marlie Postula was Mackinaw City’s winning pitcher, striking out six, allowing five hits and walking two in five innings thrown.  

Rae Hingston led the Comets offensively by going 3-for-3 with a home run, a triple, two RBI and three runs scored, while Gabi Bell went 3-for-4 with a double, two RBI, two runs scored and a steal, Jersey Beauchamp finished 2-for-3 with an RBI, two runs scored and three steals, and Madison Smith homered, knocked in two runs and scored once. Julia Sullivan (two RBI, run, steal), and Gracie Beauchamp and Postula (run) each recorded a hit. Larissa Huffman scored a run and stole a base. Kenzlie Currie scored two runs. 

For Pellston, Madison Jutson had two hits, and Megan Bricker and Madison Brown each recorded a hit. 

Mackinaw City’s offense improved even more in the 10-run game two triumph, as Huffman went 4-for-4 with a triple, two RBI, two runs scored and two steals, Hingston was 3-for-4 with a triple, a double, three RBI and two runs scored, Gracie Beauchamp finished 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored, Jersey Beauchamp went 2-for-4 with three RBI, and Bell was 2-for-4 with a double and three runs scored. Adding a hit apiece were Postula (double, two runs, steal) and Sullivan (two runs). Smith scored a run.  

Postula once again earned the win on the mound, striking out one, allowing eight hits and walking one in five innings of work.  

Elysia Ward and Brown had multi-hit games to lead the Hornets in the nightcap, while Gabby Landon, Lillie Bourrie, Emma Irwin, Jutson and Bricker chipped in with a hit apiece.  

Mackinaw City (16-2, 9-1 Northern Lakes Conference) travels to Brimley on Thursday, while Pellston (7-15, 2-10 Ski Valley) hosts Gaylord St. Mary on Thursday. 

Mack City baseball splits with Sault Ontario  

MACKINAW CITY – After suffering an 8-0 shutout defeat in game one, the Mackinaw City baseball team bounced back with an 8-7 game two victory to earn a split with Sault Ontario in a non-conference doubleheader on Monday.  

The Comets were much improved offensively in the nightcap win, as Nick Vieau went 2-for-3 with two RBI, two runs scored and two stolen bases, and Travin Barkley was 2-for-3 with two RBI, a run scored and a stolen base. Adding a hit apiece were Trystan Swanson (RBI, two runs, stolen base), Braylon Currie (two RBI, run, stolen base), Jalen DeWitt (run, stolen base), Tyler Hingston (run, stolen base) and Lucas Bergstrom (run).  

DeWitt, who earned the win on the mound, struck out one and walked three in one inning pitched. Sabastian Pierce, who started the contest, struck out six, allowed five hits and walked one in four innings of work, while Vieau tossed one relief inning with three walks.

The opener was a struggle for the Comets, whose lone hits came from Vieau (stolen base) and Bergstrom.  

Barkley took the loss on the mound, striking out one, walking five and allowing three hits. Currie tossed 1 2/3 innings in relief, striking out two, walking five and allowing a hit. DeWitt pitched 1 1/3 relief innings, striking out two, walking two and allowing a hit.  

"The Black Sox run a great program up there in Sault Ontario, and I was really happy with the way we swung the bat in the last two innings of game two,” said Mackinaw City coach Elijah May. “Jalen DeWitt picked up his first career varsity win on the mound in game two. Jalen has been a pleasant surprise on the mound for us. This is the first year that we have asked him to pitch and he has pounded the zone. With the loss of a few arms from our rotation last season, it is great to see Jalen step up. This was a great non-conference pickup for us to get ready for a big (Northern Lakes Conference doubleheader) with Brimley on Thursday. We are not able to win the league this year after losing to Harbor Light and Ellsworth, but we would love to show up and give Brimley some good baseball games later this week.” 

Mackinaw City (11-10, 6-4 NLC) travels to Brimley for a doubleheader on Thursday.  

Pellston track teams both take first at home meet  

PELLSTON – Both the Pellston boys and girls track and field teams captured first-place finishes at their home quad meet on Monday.  

Leading the Pellston boys (152 points) with individual first places were Laith Griffith in the 400 (55.26) and long jump (15-8.5), Garrett Cameron in the 100 (11.59), Preston Schmit in the 200 (27.32) and Brach Taylor in the 100 hurdles (21.25). Second places were earned by Coby Dyer in the 800 (2:17) and high jump (4-10), Corbin Overholt in the long jump (14-6) and Taylor in the 300 hurdles (50.40).  

For the Pellston girls (109), first places went to Shaleen Otto in the 300 hurdles (1:14.33), Zoey Stenson in the discus (71-8) and Hailey Davis in the long jump (12-11.25). Davis finished second in the 100 (15.23), 200 (32.80) and 400 (1:20.29), while Hannah Pflug was second in the shot put (22-5) and long jump (11-1). Angel Eberly was second in the discus (46-0.5).  

The Onaway boys (128), who finished second, were led by individual first places from Levi Rigot in the shot put (33-9) and discus (101-0), Jadin Mix in the 300 hurdles (43.54) and Xavier Santiago in the high jump (5-8). The 400 relay team of Richard Aluague, Jager Mix, Brendon Brewbaker and Santiago took first with a 48.76 time, while the 800 relay team of Hudson Decker, Jager Mix, Brewbaker and Aluague was also first with a time of 1:39.93. The 3200 relay team of Jager Mix, Jadin Mix, Decker and Brewbaker posted first with a 10:16 time. Second places went to Casen Kreft in the 110 hurdles (22.42) and Aluague in the 100 (11.59).  

On the girls side, Madilyn Crull led second-place Onaway (64) with first places in the 100 (13.09), 200 (28.41) and high jump (5-1). Ellie Crull was first in the 800 (3:01) and 1600 (6:36).  

Petoskey St. Michael and Wolverine were the other two teams in Monday’s meet.  

Pellston and Onaway will compete at a Division 4 regional meet in Indian River on Friday.