By Staff
OTSEGO – Offensive production and quality pitching lifted the Buchanan varsity softball team to the Otsego Invitational championship on Saturday.
The Lady Bucks (7-0) banged out 28 hits, scored 29 runs and Alexis Lenox struck out 17 in three games en route to the championship.
Buchanan defeated St. Joseph 5-1 in the title game. The Lady Bucks knocked off Allegan in the first game 15-0 and then took out host Otsego 9-4 in the semifinals.
Lenox improved to 7-0 on the year as she tossed a four-hitter with seven strikeouts.
Buchanan finished the title game with 10 hits, including a pair of triples from Jayme O'Bryant. Emily Ross also tripled, while Holly Lucas and Destyni Dolan both doubled. Jacklyn Leiter added a pair of singles.
The Lady Bucks led 5-0 before St. Joseph scored its lone run in the seventh inning.
In the semifinals, Buchanan was actually outhit by Otsego 8-5, but took advantage of six Lady Bulldog errors.
Lucas tripled for the Lady Bucks, who also got a double from Dolan.
Allegan was no match for Buchanan in the opening round.
Lenox struck out five and walked just one.
After two scoreless innings, the Lady Bucks erupted for seven runs in the third inning and eight more in the fourth to end the contest via the 15-run mercy rule.
Lenox tossed a one-hitter with five strikeouts and no walks for Buchanan, which had 13 hits.
Rose, O'Bryant and Rachel Briggs all tripled. Briggs also had a double. Ross had three RBIs in the contest. O'Bryant also had three singles. Kayla Nelson and Rachel Downs both had two hits.
Otsego Invitational
Championship Game
St. Joseph 000 000 1 – 1 4 2
Buchanan 001 301 x – 5 10 2
WP – Alexis Lenox (B, 7-0) and Emily Ross;
LP – Mavis (SJ) and Sara Cobb
2B: Holly Lucas (B), Destyni Dolan (B), Knaak (SJ)
3B: Emily Ross (B), Jayme O'Bryant 2 (B)
Records
Buchanan 7-0
First Game
Allegan 000 0 – 0 1 4
Buchanan 007 8 – 15 13 0
WP – Alexis Lenox (B, 5-0) and Emily Ross
LP – Shelby Smith (A) and Stacy Henricks
2B: Rachel Briggs (B)
3B: Emily Ross (B), Jayme O'Bryant (B), Rachel Briggs (B)
Second Game
Buchanan 420 201 0 – 9 5 1
Otsego 010 100 2 – 4 8 6
WP – Alexis Lenox (B, 6-0) and Emily Ross
LP – Sara Nord (O) and Julie Veitly
2B: Destyni Dolan (B); Molly Sleeman (O)
3B: Holly Lucas (B); Katina Kiel (O), Christin Weinly (O)