By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
East Lansing, Mich.---Emily Young (Maumee/Maumee, Ohio), Tori Weidinger (Whitmer/Toledo, Ohio) and Makayla Burtscher (Bedford/Temperance, Mich.) all homered, while Lesley Ducat (Evergreen/Lyons, Ohio) allowed just one run as the Owens Community College softball team cruised past Sinclair Community College 11-1 in today's Region XII District I championship game at Abbot Park.
"From day one, our bats were on fire throughout the lineup," said Owens head softball coach Marcus Smith. "Lesley pitched amazing to carry us through the tournament with our defense playing stellar behind her. It's the best we've played all year top to bottom. We peaked at the right time."
Ducat, who did not allow an earned run all tournament, improved to 18-5 with her third win in three days. The tournament MVP allowed just five hits, one run (zero earned) and one walk over seven innings. She struck out three.
Weidinger struck early with a three-run home run in the first inning after Burtscher singled and Brittany George (Elmwood/Wayne, Ohio) was hit by a pitch.
After neither team scored in the second, Sinclair trimmed its deficit with a sacrifice fly from Kelly Wood in the third inning.
However, Owens exploded for five runs in the home half - capped by a grand slam from Young and a solo home run from Burtscher. Weidinger led off the inning by being unintentionally intentionally walked. After Paige Younker (Wilmington/Port William, Ohio) sacrificed her to second, Josie Hall (New London/New London, Ohio) walked and Katelyn Jensen (Genoa/Genoa, Ohio) singled to load the bases for Young.
Burtscher blasted her fifth home run of the season over the right field wall two batters later to put Owens up 8-1.
Owens went up eight in the fifth when Jensen scored from third on a muffed throw to second base.
In the sixth, Younker and Young each added RBI singles to bump the lead to 11-1.
Ducat retired the final eight batters she faced in the game.
Young finished 2-for-3 with a home run and five RBI, while Weidinger finished 2-for-3 with two runs, a walk and a three-run home run. Burtscher also went 2-for-4 with two runs and a solo home run, while Jensen finished 2-for-4 with two runs.
As a team, Owens finished 13-for-27 from the platte with 10 RBI, six walks, 11 runs and only two strikeouts.
Notes
With the win today, Owens (31-16) advances to the NJCAA Division II National Tournament in Clinton, Mississippi next week. Seeding and first round matchups will be announced early next week.
Ducat, who improved to 18-5 this year, lowered her season ERA to 2.97. She is two strikeouts away from 300 in her career. In three tournament games, she pitched 18 innings, while allowing 15 hits, four runs (zero earned) and seven walks while striking out eight. She is 39-9 in her two-year career with a 3.01 ERA.
Owens scored at least 10 runs in all three tournament games. Prior to this year, Owens had produced just three such games in program postseason history.
Aside from Ducat earning tournament MVP honors, Jacey Gray (Springfield/Holland, Ohio), Weidinger and Young each earned all-tournament team honors. First-year head coach Marcus Smith was named Region XII District I Coach of the Year.
This year's district championship is the third in program history. In 2005, Owens finished in fifth place at the national tournament, while the 2011 team advanced all the way to the national championship game.
Weidinger's home run was her 11th of the season and the 21st of her career. She also has 97 career RBI. Burtscher's home run was her fifth of the season, and Young's home run was her first collegiate home run.
Gray finished the tournament 6-for-8 with six runs, two RBI and two stolen bases. She now has 49 stolen bases this year. Weidinger went 4-for-8 with three runs, two home runs, eight RBI and one stolen base. Young went 5-for-7 with three runs, a home run and seven RBI. Hall finished 3-for-8 with three runs, a double, a home run, five RBI and two walks in the tournament.