MISHAWAKA, Ind. – Team Michigan may have started the game a player down, but the All-Stars didn’t let that bother them on the opening night of Sports Fest at Bethel College.

Michigan scored single runs in the third, fifth and sixth innings to defeat Indiana Metro 3-0 and advance to Thursday’s championship game against the winner of Indiana East and Indiana West, which will be played this afternoon.

Berrien Springs’ Raechel Zahrn reached base all three times, scoring a run and driving in another.

From there, it was all pitching and defense for Michigan.

Buchanan’s Alexis Lenox picked up the win and she and Lake Michigan Catholic’s April Patnaude combined on a two-hitter with three strikeouts and just one walk.

Zahrn scored the opening run of the game after drawing a walk and coming around on an RBI single by Dowagiac’s Torie Lowe.

Zahrn made it 2-0 with a safety squeeze in the fifth to plate Shannon Miller, who had doubled and moved to third on a wild pitch.

In the sixth, Niles’ Brittney Buti scored on a wild pitch.

Metro pitchers Lindsey Martin, who took the loss, and Aubrie Lane both performed well and limited Michigan to just three hits, while striking out nine.

Metro 000 000 0 – 0 2 1
Michigan 001 011 x – 3 3 0
Alexis Lenox (W), April Patnaude (5) and Torie Lowe
Lindsey Martin (L), Aubrie Lane (5) and Kayla Noble
2B: Shannon Miller (Mich)

Volleyball
Michigan used solid front row play to defeat Indiana Metro in Sports Fest volleyball Monday night at Bethel College.

Michigan defeated Metro 25-17, 25-15 and 25-19 in the semifinals.

The All-Stars will now compete in the finals today against either Indiana East or Indiana West.

Edwardsburg’s Elise Mackling had a big night as she finished with 13 kills and eight blocks.

Buchanan’s Rachel Downs finished with a team-high 35 digs.

Baseball
The Michigan All-Stars rallied from a 4-0 deficit against Indiana Metro Monday night in the semifinals of Sports Fest baseball at Bethel College.

Down four runs heading to the bottom of the fourth, Michigan scored three runs and then added three more in the fifth to complete the comeback.

Niles’ Kevin Gross spearheaded the attack as he had two hits, including a two-run triple in the fifth.

Gross’ triple put Michigan ahead and he then scored the game’s final run on a single by Edwardsburg’s Wade Smous.

The All-Stars finished with six hits, including a double and two RBIs from Edwardsburg’s Taylor Coquillard.

Buchanan’s David Sokolowski came on in the fifth and earned the victory, while Sean Clancy of Sturgis worked the seventh to pick up the save.

Michigan will take on the winner between Indiana East and Indiana West on Thursday.

Metro 031 000 0 – 4 7 2
Michigan 000 330 x – 6 6 0
Jared Thomas, Matt Price (L, 4), Darwing Ereu (6) and Eric Hess, Robby Heritz (5)
Brian Cerven, David Sokolowski (W, 5), Sean Clancy (7-S) and Blake Botti
2B: Mike Cass (ME), Conner Hudnall (ME), Taylor Coquillard (MI)
3B: Kevin Gross (MI)

Girls’ soccer
Haley Craig was a thorn in the side of a short-handed Michigan girls’ soccer team Monday night in the semifinals at Sports Fest.

Craig scored three of the four Indiana Metro goals in a 4-3 win over Michigan at Bethel College.

Craig opened the scoring in the 11th minute off an assist from Avante Newsome-Gunn.
Buchanan’s Amanda Wynn tied the match at 1-1 with a goal in the 16th minute with the assist of Anika Johnson.

Michigan then took a 2-1 lead 11 minutes later when Johnson scored off an assist from Haley Smith.

But Craig knotted the match at 2-2 in the 32nd minute and that’s the way it stood at halftime.

The second half started the same way the first half did as Craig scored another unassisted goal in the 45th minute to make it 3-2 in favor of Metro.

Allison Vasile gave Metro a two-goal lead in the 54th minute with the assist of Jordan Ludwig

Michigan didn’t give up, and despite rotating goalkeepers as substitutes for the players in front of the net, it was able to close it back to a one-goal deficit when Johnson scored an unassisted goal in the 69th minute.

But that would be as close as the All-Stars would get to Metro.

Metro…4
Michigan…3
Halftime score
Metro 2, Michigan 2

First Half
ME – Haley Craig (Avante Newsome-Gunn) 11th minute
MI – Amanda Wynn (Anika Johnson) 16th minute
MI – Anika Johnson (Haley Smith) 27th minute
ME – Craig 32nd minute

Second Half
ME – Haley Craig 45th minute
ME – Allison Vasile (Jordan Ludwig) 54th minute
MI – Anika Johnson 69th minute