By By SCOTT NOVAK / Niles Daily Star
BATTLE CREEK – It was simple for Cassopolis coach Randy Brooks as he summed up the Lady Rangers 6-0 loss to eventual state champion Bay City All Saints in the Division 4 semifinals.
"They were the better team," Brooks said after the conclusion of the semifinal contest Saturday afternoon. "And on top of that, they played better than we did."
It took two days to complete the semifinals thanks to a nearly five-hour rain and thunderstorm delay on Friday afternoon and then another rain shower that suspended the game at around 11:30 p.m.
When the game was halted late Friday night, Cassopolis trailed Bay City 4-0. Of the 12 batters to step into the box against the Cougars' Louise Rezmer, 10 struck out.
The Lady Rangers had only hit, that coming on a single in the third inning by Kayla Green with one out.
Cassopolis, making its first appearance at the Final Four, was matching Bay City through the first three innings, but trailed 1-0.
The Cougars scored in the bottom of the third when Rezmer drew a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch. Following another walk, Becca DeWyse singled to drive in Rezmer.
The rain began to fall in the fourth inning and before the game was halted, Bay City had three runs.
With two outs, Jeanie Heintskill singled and stole second before advancing to third on a throwing error. Following a walk, Heintskill scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0.
An error and a hit batsman kept the inning alive for the Cougars who then got a single by Melanie Sobczak to make it a 3-0 contest. The fourth run on Friday came on a wild pitch.
"That last wild pitch was because the ball was wet," Brooks commented.
The game was then stopped and play was scheduled to resume on Saturday at 1 p.m.
The game picked up where it left off with two outs and runners at second and third for the Cougars.
Stephanie Herman started the second day of competition with a single to score the final two runs of the game.
Cassopolis would manage just one hit on Saturday, a single by Reva Ivens in the fifth inning with two outs.
Rezmer, who would pitch Bay City to the state championship later in the day, tossed a two-hitter with 15 strikeouts and just one walk.
Pompey would give up six runs on four hits with four strikeouts and two walks. Only two of the Cougars' runs were earned.
Notes
Marty Smallbone worked the Division 4 championship game with Bay City and Homer.
Bay City became the first school to have both its baseball and softball teams win state titles in the same year. It was the fourth time the school sent both teams to the state championship game.
MHSAA Softball Semifinals
Bailey Park, Battle Creek
Division 4
Cassopolis 000 000 0 – 0 2 2
Bay City 001 500 x – 6 4 0
WP – Louise Rezmer (BC) and Becca DeWyse
LP – Symone Pompey (C) and Brittany Francis
Records
Cassopolis 33-10, Bay City 34-7-1