It was a perfect day on the diamond as local baseball and softball teams wore shades of pink and competed at the annual Kris Popp tournament hosted by Lake Leelanau St. Mary Saturday.
In the first game of the softball tournament, Portland St. Patrick defeated Glen Lake 7-0.
Laker senior Ella Flores and junior Tila Shimek each had base hits.
The Eagles faced the Lakers in the second game and came out on top 13-1. Laker junior Jessie Pugh hit a double and scored the lone run. Shimek went 2-3 with an RBI.
St. Mary lost a close one to Portland St. Patrick in the tournament finale 8-4. The Eagles hung around with the Shamrocks until the sixth inning when Portland St. Patrick exploded for six runs to claim victory.
In game one of the baseball tournament, Lake Leelanau St. Mary (10-6) defeated Mesick 16-1.
“We really like where the kids have come defensively,” St. Mary coach Toby Wegener said.
The bats were rolling for the Eagles as Eli Kelenski drove in four runs on two hits during the game. St. Mary scored 11 runs in the first inning and set the tone early. Eagle sophomore Josh Bunek earned the win for the Eagles with nine strikeouts while giving up one hit.
Glen Lake played at the Kris Popp tournament and came away with a win and a loss. Portland St. Patrick defeated Glen Lake 3-0 as Bufalini led from the mound with five strikeouts.
The Lakers turned around and defeated Mesick 14-0 as Glen Lake junior Benji Allen had 12 strikeouts in the win. Isaac Hlavka led with three hits including two singles and a triple.
St. Mary and Portland St. Patrick battled in the championship game.
The Shamrocks won 11-0 as St. Patrick separated themselves in the third inning when the Shamrocks scored six runs. The Shamrocks allowed only one hit in the championship game.
St. Mary travels to Onekama today for their next game at 4:15 p.m.
“When we throw strikes, we can compete with anybody,” St. Mary coach Toby Wegener said.
Other softball and baseball scores:
Glen Lake softball dropped a double-header against Buckley and Kingsley over the past week. Buckley won 12-0, 16-4, last Thursday. Glen Lake senior Paige Flores and junior Jessie Pugh combined for seven strikeouts in game one. Pugh scored twice and went 2-3 with a double and a triple in game two. Laila Shimek scored twice, and Olivia Reed opened up the offense in the second inning with a bunt for a base hit.
On Tuesday, Glen Lake dropped a pair to Kingsley 19-0, 17-0.
In both games, Pugh broke up a Stag no-hitter with a single.
Last Thursday, Kingsley defeated Suttons Bay 15-0, 15-0. Stacy Shananaquet and Ella Ingwerson both gained valuable experience on the mound against the elite Kingsley squad. Shanaquet had a triple and Ella and Minnie Bardenhagen had one hit each.
The Norse battled Benzie on Tuesday and lost 15-0, 17-0. Igwerson had a hit for Suttons Bay.
Glen Lake baseball (16-2-2, 7-0 NWC) won a close game one against Kingsley 4-3 in seven innings on Tuesday, thanks to a walk-off sac fly in the bottom of the seventh from Tanner Crick.
Laker senior Cooper Bufalini was the winning pitcher (7 IP, 3 R, 0 ER, 8 K, 2 BB). Bufalini led with three hits, Joey Rioux two hits, and Fletcher Middleton two hits.
The second game of the intense double-header was postponed due to weather and was played yesterday as of press time with Kingsley leading 1-0 in the top of the first inning.
Suttons Bay baseball (5-14, 5-5 NWC) dropped a pair against Benzie Central 1-0, 1-0 on Tuesday.
In game one, the Huskies won in extra innings. Suttons Bay senior Lucas Gordon had nine strikeouts and allowed four hits in the no-decision. Gordon went 2-2; Joe Howard 1-2; Tyler Porter 1-2; and Ty Brenner 1-2.
Benzie snuck out with a 1-0 win in game two in four innings before the weather moved in.
