By TOM NYHUIS
Niles Daily Star

SCHOOLCRAFT – Making their fifth consecutive regional tournament appearance on Saturday at Schoolcraft High School, the Lady Bucks of Buchanan handled Bronson in their semifinal contest 8-3 and moved on to meet Kalamazoo Christian in the afternoon championship match up.

The Comets were able to keep the Lady Bucks bats nearly silent taking a 3-1 Division 3 regional championship.

In the opening game of the day for the Lady Bucks, Buchanan pounded out 10 hits in the opener to take the 8-3 win over Bronson.

Buchanan scored a single run in the second and third inning to take a 2-0 lead into the fifth. Bronson tallied three runs in the inning to take a 3-2 advantage. In the inning the Vikings picked up their only two hits of the game on back to back singles.

The Lady Bucks responded in the bottom half of the inning with two runs of their own to regain the lead. The big hit of the inning, coming from starting pitcher Alexis Lenox, who helping her own cause with a run scoring double. After a single by Rachel Downs, Devinn Adams ripped a run scoring double to put the Lady Buck on top 4-3.

Buchanan added four insurance runs in the sixth with Lenox knocking in a pair of runs with a single. Katie Elliott, Erin Glavin and Brianna Turnock each had a single in the inning to lead the Lady Bucks into the championship game.

Lenox finished the game with three hits and three RBIs and allowed just two hits and struck out 12 and walking four batters from the circle for the win.

Downs and Adams each singled and doubled for the Buchanan offense and move their team to the championship game.

Facing Kalamazoo Christian, the Buchanan bats went silent as Comet pitcher Lindsay Gove was able to spread four hits over the seven innings for the 3-1 win.

“When I saw her throw this morning I thought that we would be in some trouble,” Buchanan coach Mike Welsh said of facing Gove in the title tilt. “We’ll hit your more conventional pitchers. She throws a lot of junk and a heck of a change-up and we have struggled with that type of pitching all year.”

Christian took the early lead in the game pushing two runs across in the first inning on just one hit. The Comets took advantage of two walks and an error to take a 2-0 lead after one inning. The only hit of the inning, a two-out single by Jessah Rolstone scored the Comet runs.

Buchanan’s only run of the game came after Lenox hit a one-out single and Adams drove in the run with a two-out double. Gove was able to shut the Lady Bucks down the rest of the way for the championship win.

“I thought we were way to aggressive early at the plate and we were not very selective early. This wasn’t one of our better games, but give her (Gove) credit and give them credit. That’s a nice ball club. We have had a great year and we have nothing to hang our heads about and Alexis pitched a heck of a game. We just didn’t hit the ball,” Welsh said.

Championship game
Kalamazoo Christian 200 010 0 – 3 3 0
Buchanan 000 100 0 – 1 4 2
WP- Lindsay Grove
LP- Alexis Lenox

Semifinals
Bronson  000 030 0 – 3 2 4
Buchanan 011 024 x  – 8 10 3
WP- Alexis Lenox
LP- Kelsea Pixley