MONROE – Playing against Monroe High was special for St. Mary Catholic Central softball coach Dani Emery was special for a lot of reasons.
She used to teach at Monroe.
Monroe coach Mickey Moody was her coach in high school at Jefferson and she was an assistant coach to Moody at Dundee, including the state championship season of 2013.
So, watching her team sweep a doubleheader 7-0 and 12-1 felt pretty good to Emery.
Most important of all to the coach was that her team continued its strong play of late to improve to 14-9.
“We’re doing a good job of stepping up the intensity and putting the pieces together,” she said.
Olivia Piepsney tossed a 1-hitter in the first game and homered in the second. Hayden Southerland also homered.
“We played really well today,” Emery said. “Both pitchers threw well. They were really spinning the ball. And our defense was great. They communicated well.”
FRIDAY’S TOP PERFORMERS
GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD
Makenzie Wolfe, Summerfield: Captured league championships in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters to help the Bulldogs wrap up sole possession of their first Tri-County Conference championship since 1990. The Bulldogs finished with 151 points, 30 better than runner-up Erie Mason. Whiteford placed third with 105. Other winners for Summerfield were Elena Miller (shot-put), Abby Zilka won the (high jump.) Allison Ost and Abby Raymond took seconds. Erie Mason’s Guiliana Nastale won the 100, 200 and 400 meters and anchored the winning 400 relay. Briar Wing (800) and Nina Bauman (discus) won for Whiteford.
BOYS TRACK AND FIELD
Logan Doom and Lincoln Murbach, Erie Mason: Both were double winners to help the Eagles wrap up the Tri-County Conference championship. Mason won the league meet with 190.5 points to 153.5 to runner-up Whiteford as Doom won the 800 and 1,600 and Murbach swept the hurdles. Summerfield was fourth with 52. Mason’s other winners were Caleb Healey (3,200) and Jackson Carner (long jump). Nate Andrews (200), Jess Saylor (400), Brek Ruddy (pole vault), Ryan Thomas (high jump) won events for Whiteford and the Bobcats swept all four relays with Ruddy, Saylor, Andrews, Drew Ruddy, Antonio Nachtrab, Brody Hillard, Cooper Diesing, Cody Wood, Camden Ellis and Xavier Abalos running legs.
BASEBALL
Luke Beaudrie, Jefferson: Enjoyed a 4-for-4 day at the plate to spark an 11-1 win over Summerfield. Jake Brewer tossed a 1-hitter for the Bears and finished with two hits along with Caleb Henry and Jett Jones. Jude Flowers had the only hit for Summerfield.
Caden Schroyer, Whiteford: Earned the pitching win as the Bobcats improved to 15-4 with a 19-4 win over Erie Mason.
GIRLS TENNIS
Sarah Pente, Skylar Warren, Monica Steinmetz and Brooklyn Cowell, Gibraltar Carlson: Swept the singes in an 8-0 win over Dearborn Edsel Ford. Winning doubles matches for the 10-1 Marauders were Morgan Wort-Maggie Samford, Riley Graham-Gabby Peer, Mena Sladich-Maddy Mead and Sophia Gaynier-Molly Owen. Carlson used the same lineup to beat Allen Park 8-0 Thursday.
THURSDAY’S TOP PERFORMERS
SOFTBALL
Alli Schrader, Ida: Tripled home a run in the bottom of the seventh inning, then scored the winning run to give the Blue Streaks an 11-10 victory over Summerfield. Ida (11-10) also won the first game 17-0. “We really hit the ball,” said Ida coach Chelsea Brancheau. Emily Lambert went 3-for-3 and drove in three runs in the first game and Amelia McCoy and Adisyn Swiderski notched two hits apiece. Alexa Swiderski was 3-for-4 and Makenna Hall and Lily O’Dell added two in the second game.
Olivia Piepsney, SMCC: Homered and tossed a shutout in a 15-0 romp over Milford. She drove in three runs, went 2-for-3 and racked up nine strikeouts. Hannah Williams had three hits and Genevieve Bylow, Brionna Chevrette and Claire Hilton two each The Kestrels also took the first game 12-2 with Williams, Chevrette, Piepsney, Hayley Southerland and winning pitcher Braelyn Runyon logging two hits apiece. One of Chevrette’s hits was a home run.Catherine Shore, New Boston Huron: Homered twice during a 12-11 win over Riverview, including one in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the game. Maya Martindale went 4-for-5 and Ava Russo was 3-for-3 with a two-run homer.
Abby Marek, Dundee: Doubled to tie the game in the final inning, then scored the winning run on a single by Addison Cusac to help the Vikings earn their first two wins of the season in a 7-6, 12-2 sweep of Grosse Ile “So many little things are starting to come together,” Dundee coach Darci Marek said. “It’s fun to watch.” Ella Rath went 3-for-3 and Alana Diaz was 2-for-2 in the first game Brynn Cusac had hits in all three trips to the plate in the second game and Marek and Rath added two hits each for the 2-15 Vikings.
Addison Burgei, Gibraltar Carlson: Enjoyed a perfect day at the plate by going 5-for-5 in a 20-0 demolition of Southgate Anderson. Kiley Lewandowski rang up three hits and batted in four runs and Averie Gendron fired a five-inning no-hitter.
BASEBALL
Cam Fairchild, Dundee: Tossed a 3-hitter with no earned runs in the opener, then went 3-for-5 and drove in three runs in the second game of a 9-2, 19-5 sweep of Hillsdale.Brayden Mason went 3-for-4 in the first game and Travyn Vajcner drove in four runs in the nightcap.
Owen Snyder, Ida: Scattered four hits and did not give up an earned run while striking out nine in the second game of a 5-2, 3-1 sweep of Hudson. Hunter Hemelgarn was strong on the mound in the opener. Trent Pfeiffer had two hits in each game for the 16-6 Blue Streaks.
BOYS TRACK AND FIELD
Masyn Moran, Bedford, and Marcus McPherson, Monroe: Won throwing events at the Southeastern Conference championships. Moran topped the shot-put with a personal-best 52-0 and McPherson ruled the discus at 136-3. Bedford’s Everett Wingate was second to his teammate in the shot and Monroe finished 1-2 in the discus with Zyshonne Reid claiming runner-up honors. Bedford, which finished third in the team standings, also got a seconds from Cain Cole (pole vault) and AJ Varner (high hurdles) and thirds from Maddi Duke (800), Moran (discus) and the 400, 1,600 and 3,200 relays. Monroe’s Torran Simmons was third in the shot and Nolan Cacioppo fourth in the discus.
GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD
Helen Brady, Bedford: Threw a personal-best 31-9 to take second place at the Southeastern Conference championships. She also was fifth in the discus sharing that place with teammates Cheyenne Ivey (high hurdles), Madeline Loughner (shot-put) and Tayah Croley (long jump). Monroe’s Coryssa McCray was third in the discus.
BOYS GOLF
Ben Scully, Flat Rock: Shot a round of 40 to lead the Rams during a 143-166 loss to Grosse Ile. The 10-2 Rams also got 41 from Colin Gilleran and Owen Klein.
BOYS LACROSSE
Kyle Burger, Bedford: Scored the winning goal in a 5-4 victory over Saline that pushed the Mules’ record to 10-3. Landyn Maly scored three times and Landon Wilson had the other goal. An assist went to Josh Parshall.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: SMCC softball sweeps Monroe, Summerfield, Mason take TCC tack titles