Gaylord softball scores 26 runs over nine innings to claim second-straight district title
PETOSKEY — Pure dominance.
That’s what has been on display all season for the Gaylord softball team, and it was on display again at Petoskey High School on Saturday afternoon as the Blue Devils rolled through both Gladwin and Ogemaw Heights en route to the team’s second-straight district championship in two years.
The Blue Devils scored 26 runs through nine innings of work while pitchers Aubrey Jones and Avery Parker held their opponents scoreless, allowing just two total hits over the two games as they advanced to the Regional round of the MHSAA Division 2 playoffs
Gladwin had no answer for Jones in the semifinal game as the freshman diced up the Flying G’s, racking up eight strikeouts while allowing no hits through the shortened five-inning game.
Meanwhile, the offense broke the game open early, scoring eight runs over the second and third innings to help the Blue Devils pull away. Jayden Jones led the attack as her two-run home run in the bottom of the second inning gave Gaylord a 3-0 lead. She finished the game with two hits and four runs batted in, while Aubrey Jones had two hits, a walk and an RBI to help her cause to help Gaylord advance to the title game.
In the title game, Gaylord wasted no time jumping out to a lead as Jayden Jones led off with her second home run of the day, starting a four-run first inning for the Blue Devils that put Gaylord in the driver’s seat early.
That started an offensive explosion as the Blue Devils added another seven runs in the third inning and another five in the fourth to bring their run total to 26 on the day. Alexis Shepherd and Alexis Kozlowski led the dominant performance from the plate, with Shepherd totaling four hits, three runs scored and an RBI in her four at-bats and Kozlowski totaling three hits including a triple, three RBI and three runs scored.
Those two were among six Blue Devils that had multi-hit games in the championship game; Jayden Jones had two hits including her home run, Taylor Moeggenberg had two hits including a double and Addison Wangler had two hits and a double of her own.
The last Blue Devil with multiple hits was pitcher Avery Parker, who was dominant on the mound as she blanked the Ogemaw Heights offense and racked up seven strikeouts while adding two hits, two RBI and a run scored from the plate in the district-clinching performance.
With its second-straight district title in the books, Gaylord improves to 24-2 overall and will host the Regional round next Saturday, June 11. The Blue Devils will face Big Rapids at 1 p.m., with the winner advancing to the Regional Final against the winner of Escanaba vs. Grant.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Gaylord Blue Devils win second straight MHSAA Softball district title
