TRAVERSE CITY — In the final year of the Lake Michigan Conference, the Traverse City St. Francis varsity softball team put together a 12-0 record to win the LMC championship for the last time in league history.
Several of the Lake Michigan Conference teams not named St. Francis are leaving to form the Northern Shores Conference at the start of the 2024-25 school year. The Gladiators will be left out of the Northern Shores and likely will move forward as an independent until the time comes when they can find a conference to call home.
St. Francis (28-5-1) knocked off LMC foe Boyne City (15-14) in a doubleheader sweep at home Tuesday, beating the Ramblers 5-0 in game one and 13-6 in game two to secure the conference crown.
“Super happy for the kids,” St. Francis head coach Tom Hardy said. “For our three seniors (Sophie Hardy, Leah Simetz, Hunter St. Peter), to cap off four years in a row (of winning the LMC) and getting the last one was very, very special.”
Tuesday’s games, which were postponed by inclement weather Monday, also served as the Gladiators’ senior night as they will play on the road for the remainder of the regular season and until they host Traverse City Christian in district tournament action May 31.
Simetz picked up the win from the circle in game one, allowing just two hits while striking out 12 over six innings of work.
Simetz along with Hardy, St. Peter, Zoey Jetter and Sarah Gaylord all drove in runs for St. Francis. St. Peter tripled, and Hardy hit her seventh home run of the season in the shutout victory that clinched the LMC title.
Delaney Vollmer went the distance for the Ramblers, but the Boyne City offense managed just two singles from Morgan Erickson and Natalie Grobaski.
Kensley Thorpe earned the win in game two, going 5.2 innings with five strikeouts. She allowed three runs on four hits.
St. Peter had three hits, including two doubles, while driving in two runs and scoring three times. Simetz had two hits with three RBI and two runs scored, and Reese Jones drove in two runs with a hit.
Vollmer was just a triple away from the cycle for Boyne, collecting a single, double and home run. Lucy Uy also hit her first varsity home run in the loss.
The Gladiators have a doubleheader against Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart at Central Michigan University’s Margo Jonker Stadium on Wednesday. Boyne City hosts Elk Rapids on Thursday.
TENNIS
Trojans best Elks, get bested by Glads
Results: Traverse City Central 7, Elk Rapids 2; Traverse City St. Francis 5, TC Central 4.
Central v. Elk Rapids: (1S) Ayva Johnstone (ER) def. Alexis Smith (TCC), 6-0 6-0; (2S) Abby Pfannenstiel (TCC) def. Lily Johnson (ER) 6-0, 6-0; (3S) Morgan Bergquist (ER) def Lola Ruoff (TCC) 6-4, 6-2; (4S) Kate O’Keefe (TCC) def Kelly Minidis (ER) 4-6, 6-1, 10-7; (1D) Natalie Bourdo/Wren Walker (TCC) def. Caroline Best/Chloe Tayloe (ER) 6-0, 6-0; (2D) Audrey Parker/Carly Galsterer (TCC) def. Carmen San Martinez/Braelynn Nelson (ER) 6-0, 6-0; (3D) Annie Goldkuhle/Macy Parker (TCC) def. Gabby Morton/Josie Lorenz (ER) 6-0, 6-0; (4D) Caroline Henkel/Irena Briggs (TCC) def. Olivia Cargill/Lily Heinzelman (ER) 6-0, 6-0; (5D) Sydney Baehr/Vivie Rubino (TCC) def. Claire Burch/Gianna Opeerman(ER) 6-1, 6-0.
St. Francis v. Central: (1S) Mary Kate Ansley (SF) def. Alexis Smith (TCC) 6-2, 6-4; (2S) Elliana McClellan (SF) def. Abby Pfannenstiel (TCC) 6-1, 6-2; (3S) Abby Corpus(SF) def. Lola Ruoff (TCC) 6-1, 6-1; (4S) Ava Pomaranski (SF) def. Lauren Fisk (TCC) 6-1, 6-0; (1D) Wren Walker/Natalie Bourdo (TCC) def. Lily Lurvey/Maggie Puetz (SF) 6-1, 6-1; (2D) Carly Galsterer/Audrey Parker (TCC) def. Elly March/Caroline Knox (SF) 6-0, 6-0; (3D) Annie Goldkuhle/Macy Parker (TCC) def. Katrina Lee/Grace Mason (SF) 6-2, 6-0; (4D) Lizzy Frederick/Anna Cate/Maday (SF) def. Caroline Henkel/Irena Briggs (TCC) 6-4, 1-6, 10-7; (5D) Sydney Baehr/Vivie Rubino (TCC) def. Olivia Niemer/Sophie Adams (SF) 6-1, 6-4.
BASEBALL
Benzie Central 2 10
Lake Leelanau SM 1 2
Game 1: Benzie — Evan Chandler (W) 6 IP, 4 HA, ER, 9 K; Tegan Chicky H; Dan Wallington H; Grayson Converse H, RBI.
Game 2: Benzie — Jayden Ewing (W) 5.2 IP, 1 HA, 2 ER, 6 K; Wallington 3 H; Chicky 3 H, 2 RBI; Converse 2 H; Lane Sanches H, 2 RBI.
SOFTBALL
Benzie Central 3 5
Lake Leelanau SM 0 9
Game 1: Benzie — Grace Heiges (W) 6 IP, 1 HA, 4 K; Heiges 2 H, 3B; Moraya Mosher 2B; Marie Readlinger H.
Game 2: Maddy Swander H; Heiges 2 H; Mosher 3B; Lydia Heiges H; Paige Caple 2 H; Anna DeRidder H.
Manton 15 10
Houghton Lake 5 1
Game 1: Manton — Maggie Powers (W) 5 IP, 3 HA, 3 ER, 5 K; Aliyah Geary 2 H, 3 R, RBI; Adriana Sackett 2 H, 3 R, 2 RBI; Genna Alexander 2 H, 3 R, RBI; Kadie Meyer H, 2 R, 2 RBI; Kaya Jenkins 2 H, R, RBI; Kyra Johnson 2 H, R, RBI; Powers H, RBI.
Game 2: Manton — Geary (W) 6.2 IP, 4 HA, 0 ER, 8 K; Morgan Shepler 2 H, R; Sackett H, 3 Rl Alexander H, R, RBI; Meyer 3 H, 3 R, RBI; Rylyn Wilder H, R, RBIl Karley Wurm H, RBI.
Bellaire 25 15
Glen Lake 10 0
Game 1: Bellaire — A. Patton (W) 3 IP, 8 ER, 2 K; G. Massey H, 3 R, 3 RBI; A. Yuhaus H, 3 R, 2 RBI; A. Dawson 2 H, 3 R, 2 RBI. Glen Lake — J. Pugh 2 H, 3 R; L. Shimek 2 H, 2 R, 2 RBI; E. Flores 2 RBI; E. Peplinski H, 2 RBI.
Game 2: Bellaire — B. Fischer (W) 3 IP, 1 HA, 9 K; Fischer R, 2 RBI; Dawson H, 2 R, 2 RBI; B. Clark H, 2 R, 2 RBI. Glen Lake — Pugh H.
SOCCER
TC Central 0
Petoskey 0
UP NEXT: The Trojans (8-4-5, 5-2-3 Big North) travel to Midland Dow for districts Tuesday. Petoskey (12-2-3, 7-1-3 Big North) plays in the district semifinals May 28.
Charlevoix 4
Grayling 0
UP NEXT: The Rayders (7-6-1, 4-5-1) welcome Suttons Bay for districts Thursday. The Vikings (7-12-1, 2-10-1 Lake Michigan) host Iron Mountain in districts Thursday.