After butting heads to no avail in Division 4, Ottawa Lake-Whiteford’s softball team got a bit of a reprieve this season.
The Bobcats moved up. Now, they’re moving on.
Ottawa Lake-Whiteford shut out Laingsburg, 8-0, in a softball semifinal Friday at Michigan State University, earning a spot in the Division 3 state championship game for the first time in program history.
The 37-4 Bobcats meet 37-7 Standish-Sterling at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at MSU, hoping to end a string of state-final disappointments.
After winning three Class D state titles in 1984, 1985 and 1987, the Bobcats struggled to get over that final Class D/Division 4 hurdle again, falling to Bay City All Saints in 1988, Marine City Cardinal Mooney in 1994, Indian River Inland Lakes in 2017 and Unionville-Sebewaing last season.
But this season, Ottawa Lake-Whiteford got a bump up into Division 3, which did not make Laingsburg happy.
The Bobcats collected 10 hits against the 36-7 Wolfpack, and Unity Nelson dominated in the circle for Ottawa Lake. Nelson allowed just two hits, shutting out Laingsburg. Nelson walked two and struck out 11, finishing the game by striking out the side in the seventh inning.
Ottawa Lake-Whiteford scored three runs in the third. Alyssa VanBrandt took first on a fielder’s choice and stole second. Shaylin Alexander walked, and Kaydence Sheldon singled to score VanBrandt with the game’s first run. Courtesy runner Mackenzie Ulery stole second, with Alexander and Ulery scoring on Patrina Marsh’s single.
The Bobcats added three more in the fifth. VanBrandt singled and stole second, with Alexander taking first after getting hit with a pitch. Sheldon’s single scored VanBrandt, with Karlei Conrad’s single driving in Alexander and courtesy runner Mackenzie Ulery.
Ottawa Lake-Whiteford tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the sixth. Koralynn Billau singled and pinch-runner Alyssa Ulery moved to second on a sacrifice. Alexander reached first on an error, scoring Ulery. Alexander stole second and came home on Sheldon’s single.
Sheldon led the Bobcats’ offense with three hits and three RBIs, with Marsh adding two hits and two RBIs. Conrad also had two RBIs, with Alexander and VanBrandt adding a pair of stolen bases each.
Addyson Buchin was tagged with the loss for Laingsburg, which won its first regional title since claiming the state title in 1978. Buchin walked three and struck out six, giving up eight runs, but just two earned.
Ashley Bila paced the Wolfpack offense with a double, walk and stolen base. Buchin added a hit and walk.
Standish-Sterling topped Ravenna, 10-1, in the other Division 3 semifinal Friday.
If you would like your local high school sports news delivered free to your inbox daily, click here and sign up for one of our local high school sports newsletters.
Love reading about local sports? Don’t miss any of the excitement from the season ahead. Purchase your subscription now and get full access to every story on MLive!