By Bruce Dake
The Newberry Lady Indians Softball team won three of their last four leagues games following a split with Pickford and a strong sweep over St. Ignace. The win over the Lady Saints was extra sweet. The doubleheader win was capped off by one of the great comebacks in program history. It’s another step towards their season long goals of competing in the league standings while also preparing for a tournament run when District play starts in a little over two weeks.
The Lady Indians welcomed in the Pickford Panthers last Monday, May 3. The Panthers struck first, scoring a 12-8 win in game number one. The Panthers used big innings in the second and fourth to gain the advantage.
Despite the loss, the Lady Indians had several strong performances. Natalie Whalen had three hits to lead the offense, with plenty of help from Gracie Johnson (two hits and four RBIs). Matti Krupla, Kali Navarro, Kenzie Staley, and Sydney Duflo all collected hits in that opener.
The offense was on fire again as Newberry responded with a staggering 21-run outburst in the second game. With a final score that looked more like a football score (21-7), the Lady Indians got back on track.
Duflo paced the ladies in that breakout performance, finishing the day with five hits, four of them for extra bases (two doubles, two triples.) She drove in a pair and scored four times. Bobbierae Lustila was a standout in the win with three hits. Olivia Robinson and Ari Cornell also had big games to earn the win.
In last Thursday’s visit to St. Ignace, the Lady Indians jumped up early and earned a 14-5 win. Newberry scored in all but one inning and kept pressure on the Saints all game. Libby McAlpine was a star with four hits, including a double and a home run. Duflo, Navarro, Johnson, Robinson, Ava Holcomb, and Saejyn Russom all racked up multiple hits.
Game two started off rocky: Just two innings in, the Lady Indians were staring at a 10-1 deficit. That would only last so long, though, as the Indians Pride was on full display battling back in epic fashion. A four-run trip to the plate in the 6th ended up a 14-13 walk off win.
It was another big game from Whalen, who had a five-hit game of her own. Duflo had three hits, including a triple. She scored four runs and batted in three. Johnson had two hits, one being a home run. Lustila, Navarro, and Staley each had two hits. McAlpine, Cornell, and Holcomb each collected a hit.
—With contributions from Dan Hardenbrook
