The state-ranked Brandon varsity softball team is ready for the start of postseason action.
The Blackhawks, ranked eighth in the state in Division II, closed out the regular season with a 2-1 performance at the May 27 Adrian Tournament. Brandon was scheduled to take on Macomb Lutheran North in district action Saturday, June 3 at Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, with the district championship slated for later that day.
Brandon’s offense received several key contributions in their 5-2 win against Farmington in the tournament opener. Ashley Brady led the Blackhawks with three hits, while Jennie Sherman, Lauren Ross and Chelsea Wengren added two hits apiece.
Jill Perry tied her season high, set three days earlier against Goodrich, with 14 strikeouts against Farmington. Perry, who is headed for the University of Detroit Mercy softball program in 2006-07, finished the regular season with a 1.39 earned run average, and opposing batters hit .197 against her.
The Blackhawks ran into another state-ranked opponent in their next game of the day, losing 7-0 to Ida, ranked second in Division III. Jennie Sherman notched the Blackhawks? only hit with a single.
Sherman and Wengren then broke out the big bats against New Boston in the tournament finale, leading the Blackhawks to a 7-2 win. Sherman hit two home runs in the game, bringing her season total to five, while Wengren added another Brandon homer.
Three days earlier, the Blackhawks came away with a 9-1 win against neighboring Goodrich at Brandon.
Brandon’s big inning came in the fourth, when the Blackhawks scored eight runs to take firm command of the game after the Martians had taken a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
Brooke Schaefer and Annemarie Solley each had three hits to pace the Brandon offense, while Sherman added two hits. Perry threw a complete game four-hitter for the win.
In another nonleague game May 23 against Birmingham Groves, the Blackhawks earned a 12-4 victory against the host Maples. The Blackhawks had four multiple-run innings, scoring four runs in the first inning, two in the second, three in the fourth and three in the sixth.
Several Blackhawks had big days at the plate. Ashley Brady led the charge with a 4-for-5 performance, stroking two singles and two doubles, while Sherman went 3-for-4 with two RBI.
Asaiah Lowe homered and tripled for the Blackhawks, driving in four runs and scoring four, while Hayley Lewis added two hits and a run scored. Kim Michal was the winning pitcher for the Blackhawks, striking out a season-high six batters.