Harrison softball dominates way to championship at Lake City tourney

By BEN MURPHY

Cleaver Sports Writer

A blowout win over Lake City. A blowout win over Whittemore-Prescott. The Harrison softball team doubled up on the good times Saturday, rolling their way to 18-3 and 19-2 victories, giving them the championship trophy at the Lake City tournament. Both victories came in three inning mercies.

“It was nice, our kids played well offensively and defensively, and Hayley Neff didn’t give up a hit in the two games,” head coach Jamie Lipovsky said. “She really did a good job controlling the bats, I was happy with how she played and with how the team played. Everyone had a role to play, all 12 girls got in and did something in those six innings, it was good.”

Against Lake City, Hayley Neff got the win pitching, she went three innings in the mercy-shortened game, allowing three runs, zero earned on zero hits, three strikeouts and three walks.

Gracie Burkhard had one double, one single, three RBI and one run and Sam Hopkins (one RBI) and H. Neff (two RBI) both had two hits. Mya Gardner had one double and she came in to score three times and with one single each was Morgan Ulicki, Naveah Keblbeck and Cora Durga (one RBI, two runs).

1. Neff was again the winner against W-P, she went three innings and gave up two unearned runs on zero hits, five strikeouts and one walk.

The offense had Burkhard get three hits, three RBI and three runs, Hopkins had one double, two singles, one RBI and two runs, H. Neff had one double, one single, one RBI and two runs, Gardner doubled, drove in two runs and she also walked twice and scored three times. Morgan Morrow and Durga both had one single, with Morrow driving in two runs and Durga driving in one run and coming in to score twice.

On Thursday, Harrison lost to visiting Jack Pine Conference foe Shepherd, 13-2 and 14-4.

In game one, H. Neff took the loss, striking out one batter, while Ulicki took the setback in game two.

Gardner had one double and one single in game one while H. Neff and Hopkins both had one hit and one RBI.

In game two, H. Neff had one double, one single, one RBI and one run, Alexis Heintz had one hit and one run and Ulicki and Gardner added one hit each.

Harrison was also at home with Gladwin on Tuesday, April 28, splitting the Jack Pine games, dropping game one 18-11, but winning game two, 18-8.

Neff took the loss in game one, striking out three batters. On offense, Neff had a triple and Ulicki doubled.

Ulicki got the win in game two, hurling five innings and giving up eight runs, five earned nine hits, four strikeouts and two walks.

Gardner led the offense with three hits, including one double. Also getting one double was Burkhard and Hopkins. Neff, Hopkins and Ulicki all drove in three runs apiece.

Harrison was at Farwell on Tuesday, they take on visiting St. Louis today (Thursday) and they’ll head for Ogemaw Heights on Monday.