Michigan claims softball, baseball titles at Bethel College

Published 10:17 pm Thursday, June 17, 2010

Edwardsburg's Deb Burton (above) helped Michigan defeat Indiana East 4-2 for the Sports Fest softball title Thursday night. (The Daily News/Amelio Rodriguez)

Edwardsburg's Deb Burton (above) helped Michigan defeat Indiana East 4-2 for the Sports Fest softball title Thursday night. (The Daily News/Amelio Rodriguez)

MISHAWAKA, Ind. – Led by Most Valuable Player Raechel Zahrn of Berrien Springs, Michigan defeated Indiana East 4-2 to claim the championship at Sports Fest Thursday night.

Zahrn, who is headed to Central Michigan University on a scholarship, had three hits and drove in two runs for Michigan.

The All-Stars also got great pitching from Buchanan’s Alexis Lenox and Lake Michigan Catholic’s April Patnaude, as the two combined on a four-hitter.

Michigan grabbed a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the second, but Indiana East scored twice in the top of the third to knot the score at 2-2.

Michigan took the lead for good with a run in the bottom half of the third and added another in the fourth to complete the scoring.

Michigan finished with eight hits, including a triple by Patnaude.

Niles’ Heather Daniels had a pair of hits, while Edwardsburg’s Amelia Breslin singled and scored twice.

Indiana East’s Callie Selner, of Elkhart Memorial, drove in both runs with a double.

Michigan played well in all phases of the game. The All-Stars did not commit an error in either game at Bethel College.

Indiana East hurt its own chances in the title game with five errors.

East 002 000 0 – 2 4 5
Michigan 021 100 x – 4 8 0

Alexis Lenox (W), April Patnaude (5) and De Burton
Callie Selner (L), Taylor Crowell (5) and Karen Bollenbacher
2B: Callie Selner (E), Traci Adams (E)
3B: April Patnaude (M)

Baseball
Buchanan’s David Sokolowski more than did his share in helping Michigan defeat Indiana West for the Sports Fest baseball championship Thursday night at Patterson Field at Bethel College.

Sokolowski earned Most Valuable Player honors after collecting six RBIs in Michigan’s 12-5 victory.

He was also the starting pitcher.

Brandywine’s Kyle King earned the victory in relief for Team Michigan, which now leads the Sports Fest Cup standings with seven points.

Sokolowski broke a 5-5 tie in the fifth inning with an RBI single. He also doubled and tripled as Michigan finished with 12 hits.

His three-run triple in the sixth put the game out of reach.

Indiana West 320 000 0 – 5 8 2
Michigan 300 225 x – 12 12 1

David Sokolowski, Kyle King (5-W), David Brennan (7) and Blake Botti
Cody Singleton, Jared Swain (4-L), Chad King (6) and Patrick Langel
2B: Lonnie Shetler (IW), Botti (M), Sokolowski (M)
3B: Swain (IW), Sokolowski (M)

Girls’ tennis
The Michigan girls’ tennis team was defeated by Indiana Metro 4-1 at Sports Fest.
Michigan picked up its lone victory at No. 3 singles where Jill Bender defeated Rachel Brandenberger 6-2 and 6-1.

Niles’ Rachael Horn played No. 1 singles for Team Michigan.

She was defeated by JoHanna Manningham 6-2 and 6-1.

Niles’ Allison Landgraf and Buchanan’s Kirsten Smallwood played No. 1 doubles for Michigan.

They were defeated by Ashley Bogunia and Caitlin Warrick 6-1 and 6-2.

Metro…4
Michigan…1

Singles
1. JoHanna Manningham (ME) d. Rachael Horn 6-2, 6-1, 2. Kathleen Klauer (ME) d. Monica Kosciuk 6-2, 6-0, 3. Jill Bender (MI) d. Rachel Brandenberger 6-2, 6-1

Doubles
1. Ashley Bogunia-Caitlin Warrick (ME) d. Allison Landgraf-Kirsten Smallwood 6-1, 6-2, 2. Mia Anderson-Kathleen Keller (ME) d. Jennifer Narregan-Lexie Scarborough-Innes 6-2, 6-3