By Staff
CONSTANTINE – For the third time this season Bronson Vikings softball team and pitcher Rachel Wisman had Buchanan's number in softball action.
Saturday's win finishes the Lady Bucks' season, while the Vikings advance to the MHSAA state quarterfinals on Tuesday.
Bronson handed the Lady Bucks a 4-0 loss in Saturday's title game at Constantine finishing their season at 33-9.
Bronson defeated the Lady Bucks earlier in the season 2-0 and 6-0 with Wisman holding them scoreless. Adding Saturday's win Wisman made it 21 scoreless innings against the Bucks.
Wisman held Buchanan to just two hits in the game and the Lady Bucks could only get one runner to second the entire game. Buchanan managed to have a total of five base runners in the game. Two reached after being hit by Wisman and the final reaching on the Vikings only error of the game in the sixth.
Losing pitcher Alexis Lenox and freshman Erin Glavin picked up the the only two hits for the Lady Bucks.
"We haven't figured her out yet," Buchanan coach Mike Welsh said after the championship loss. "I don't know what it is. But we continue to chase balls out of the zone. We don't make her throw strikes. Wisman is a pitcher, not a thrower. We just didn't hit strikes."
Bronson scored three runs in the fourth to break the 0-0 deadlock on four hits and a wild pitch.
Bronson threatened to score in the first three innings having a base runners reaching scoring position each of the first three innings but the Lady Bucks were able to get out of the jam's despite having two errors in the opening innings with Lenox giving up a hit in the second and third.
Lenox, who ends her junior season with a 27-6 record, finished the game striking out eight Viking batters while giving up eight hits and walking four.
"Alexis did a heckuva job to keep us in the game," Welsh said.
Bronson tacked on a run in the sixth on a single and three walks as Haley Mandoka took a walk with the bases loaded to push the run across.
Buchanan advanced to the championship game with a 10-3 win over Lawton in the day's opening semifinal.
Division 3 Softball Regional
Championship Game
At Constantine
Bronson 000 301 0 – 4 9 1
Buchanan 000 000 0 – 0 2 3
WP – Rachel Wisman and Sarah Belote
LP – Alexis Lenox (27-6) and Rachel Downs.
Varsity records: Bronson 30-7, Buchanan 33-9