Early mistakes cost Onekama in 2-0 quarterfinals loss to Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart

Jun. 15—CADILLAC — The Portagers had never taken this step before. Not in the program's history.

Unfortunately for Onekama, it would be the final step of a historic softball season and just one step shy of playing in East Lansing on the state championship stage.

The Portagers (24-4) fell to Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart 2-0 in the Division 4 quarterfinals Tuesday, marking the end of a season that saw them win the school's first-ever softball regional championship. The Irish (27-11) now move on to the state semifinals at Michigan State University at 3 p.m. on Friday.

An inauspicious start spelled doom for the Portagers, who played as the home team at Lincoln Softball Field in Cadillac.

Sacred Heart's Ellery Garver laid down Sophie Wisniski's first pitch for a bunt that the Onekama hurler picked up and threw just out of the reach of first baseman Ellie McIsaac. The ball trickled down the rightfield line, allowing the speedy leadoff hitter to cruise past second and toward third and eventually cross home plate when the errant throw in rolled into the Portagers' dugout.

Just like that, the Irish were ahead 1-0 on one pitch without the benefit of a hit.

After Wisniski just clipped Lauren Goenner with a pitch to put another runner on base, standout freshman Nyah Carson roped a single that ate up the right fielder and led to another error — Onekama's third of the inning — and another run to put the Irish up 2-0.

That's all Wisniski would give up, but that's all Sacred Heart would need.

Wisniski settled down after the shaky start. The stellar senior capped off her Onekama career with a complete-game effort that saw her allow just four hits while striking out 14 — including all three batters in the seventh — and walking none. Neither of the two runs allowed was earned.

Sacred Heart starter Natalie Jones also went the distance, keeping the Portagers off-balance with changing speeds and hitting her spots to miss the barrel of the bat. Jones gave up two hits — a two-strike, two-out rocket single from Wisniski and a bunt-single from McIsaac — and walked three while striking out eight.

The Onekama offense looked as if it was getting to Jones late in the game, forcing walks and making good contact. But Sacred Heart's clean play and solid defense doused any spark of a Portager rally. Jones walked the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the seventh, but she came back to strike out the next three — battling back from a 3-0 count to get McIsaac and a 2-0 count to get Abby Pruyne to end the game.

Onekama head coach Rob Johnson said his team wasn't really accustomed to losing this season, which made Tuesday's defeat sting all the more. The pregame talks centered around controlling the jitters, Johnson said, but nerves still got the best of the Portagers in the first part of the first inning.

"We knew we were going to be a little nervous going into it. We've never been here," Johnson said. "But we came back and played really solid ball. I told the girls absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. ... I couldn't be more proud of them for the season they put together for themselves and the fans and the people of Onekama and Manistee County."

Johnson said his players could have easily "just rolled over" and checked out after the three-error frame. But that's not what this team does.

"That first inning, a lot of high school teams would've fallen right on their face. But not these girls," Johnson said. "Their hearts are so into it."

The Portagers had stared elimination in the face before, going down to their final out against Frankfort before rallying back to win. Johnson said this year's squad consistently came up with the clutch hits in timely situations, but it just did not happen Tuesday.

"The thing that we need to be the most proud of is these girls never give up," Johnson said. "I know a lot of coaches say that about their team ... but they have just always stayed so focused on their game."

Wisniski couldn't really pin down whether or not the Portagers had an "off night" or an "on night." One thing she said for sure was that the offense wasn't there.

"Our bats just didn't come alive," she said.

Cleanup hitter and catcher Kaylin Sam couldn't understand how Jones managed to quiet the normally potent Portager bats.

"I really don't know, because she was very hittable," Sam said. "We've seen pitchers like that all year long, so I really don't know. But one thing I can say about this team is that we never gave up, we always fight, and every single one of us tries."

Onekama graduated the core of its core, losing Wisniski and her battery mate in Sam as well as McIsaac at first base and shortstop Ashley McGrady. Wisniski said she was still processing Tuesday's loss after the game and expects the reality of the end to come Wednesday.

"That's when it will hit me that I'll never step on the field with this team again, I'll never have her catch a ball again," Wisniski said, gesturing to Sam. "That's really, really bittersweet for me."

Win or lose, the 2022 Portagers remain a step ahead of the teams that came before them.

"At the beginning of the year, we didn't know what to expect," Wisniski said. "I don't think any of us expected to be here. I know that might be a bad thing to say, but we truly didn't."

Although the season's road ended before East Lansing, Sam said there is much to be grateful for.

"I'm really just proud," Sam said. "We came really far. We fought really hard."