Softball roundup: Gaylord roughs up Petoskey, JoBurg softball splits

GAYLORD ― It hasn't been easy, but as the weather has permitted, the area prep softball teams are keeping busy as April comes to a close.

Gaylord softball was back in action after its trip downstate, taking on conference rivals Petoskey in a doubleheader on Friday, April 28 in Petoskey. Meanwhile, Johannesburg-Lewiston softball was in Mancelona on Saturday, playing U.P. foe Rudyard and a team from the southwestern part of the state in Constantine.

Gaylord outscores Petoskey 38-1 in DH sweep

Gaylord softball has been arguably even better than they were a year ago through the first month of games, rocking an 11-1 overall record heading into the first of their Big North Conference games with wins over top-ranked Division 1 teams like Walled Lake Northern (10th, D1), Anchor Bay (honorable mention), Howell (HM) and Novi (HM), with their lone loss coming in walk-off fashion to the top-ranked team in D1, Macomb Dakota.

All that momentum couldn't be stopped by a rainout early in the week as a matchup with Petoskey loomed on Friday, April 29, and the Blue Devils came in ready to play, sweeping their rivals in emphatic fashion with a 13-0 win in game one and a 25-1 win in game two for wins 12 and 13 on the season.

Gaylord used three big innings to take down Petoskey in a five-inning, mercy-rule-shortened game one, scoring four runs in the first, six in the third and three in the fifth to complete the 13-0 victory.

Multiple players had big performances at the plate, including Braleigh Miller (three hits, three runs scored), Avery Parker (two hits, double, two runs scored), Alexis Kozlowski (double, three runs batted in) and Jayden Jones (triple, two RBI), while Jones turned in another dominant effort in the circle, allowing no hits while striking out 12 batters in five innings of work.

Game two was a masterclass of offense by the Blue Devils, turning 20 hits into 25 runs in just four innings in a 25-1 blow-out victory.

Miller, Jones, Kozlowski and Alexis Shepherd all had three hits, with Kozlowski and Shepherd both hitting two doubles while driving in three runs. Parker got the win in the circle, allowing one earned run on just two hits while striking out six.

Through the two games combined, Blue Devils' hitters totaled 33 hits, 12 extra-base hits and 47 total bases, while pitchers combined for 18 strikeouts and just one earned run.

Now 13-1 overall and 2-0 in Big North Conference play, the Blue Devils look to get a head start on what would be their third-straight BNC crown, hosting Cadillac on Tuesday, May 2 next before taking on Lake Orion on Friday, May 5.

JoBurg splits matchups at Val Kapture

The Johannesburg-Lewiston girls were back in action on Saturday, April 29, traveling to Mancelona for the annual Val Kapture Memorial tournament.

JoBurg played two ends of the geographical spectrum in their two games, matching up with U.P. foe Rudyard in game one before taking on Constantine, a team from the southwestern part of the L.P., in game two.

The Cardinals wasted little time taking care of the Bulldogs in the first game, scoring four runs in the first and three runs in the fourth to put away a 7-0, shutout victory.

Jayden Marlatt had another fantastic game pitching, allowing just one it and striking out 12 in six innings of work, while going one-for-one with a double from the plate. Cassie Tallman had two hits and four RBI, leading the Cardinals in the box score.

Game two was a different story, however, as Constantine gave Marlatt her first trouble all season, putting up five runs on five hits on the Cardinals' ace while turning a two-run early deficit into a three-run lead through four innings.

And, while JoBurg got eight hits from five different players, they failed to score again after their two early runs, falling in a 5-3 final score.

Brittney Fox led the way with two hits including a double and an RBI, while Jocelyn Tobias and Gloria House turned in two-hit performances as well.

Joburg is now 8-2 overall this season, looking to bounce back in a Ski Valley Conference doubleheader with Bellaire to start the week.