MACKINAW CITY — The Mackinaw City Comets are champions of the Northern Lakes in softball.
Having a chance to win the NLC outright on Wednesday, May 27, the Comets delivered a home sweep over Boyne Falls with 13-7 and 14-5 victories, which helped them seal the conference title.
“Again, I can’t say enough about how proud I am of these girls and how hard they have worked this season,” Mackinaw City coach Erica France said. “We have said since day one, ‘You are all going to be hitters,’ and night after night they have proven that!”
Ella Kruczynski was Mackinaw City’s winning pitcher in game one, striking out eight. Offensively, Kruczynski doubled and recorded an RBI, while Kenzlie Currie hit an inside-the-park home run and had three RBIs. Emmy Holbrook (double, RBI), Rian Esper (RBI) and Izzy Swanson added a hit apiece.
Kruczynski finished with a four-hit performance that included two doubles and two RBIs in the nightcap. She was also the winning pitcher once more, striking out five.
Currie, who matched Kruczynski with four hits, ripped a triple, had two doubles and knocked in three runs. Esper (two doubles, two RBIs), Emily Kruczynski (double, RBI) and Julia Short (RBI) finished with two hits each. Holbrook chipped in with a hit.
Mackinaw City plays in an MHSAA Division 4 district semifinal at Pellston at 1 p.m. on Friday, May 29.
Comets sweep Boyne Falls in NLC finale
MACKINAW CITY — The Mackinaw City baseball team wrapped up its Northern Lakes Conference campaign by sweeping Boyne Falls with 5-1 and 17-2 victories on Wednesday, May 27.
Knox Wilson was the winning pitcher in game one, striking out nine in 3 1/3 innings. TJ Peterson (two strikeouts) and Ben Strittmatter (one strikeout) also pitched for the Comets.
Strittmatter doubled and had an RBI for Mackinaw City. Hingston scored three runs.
Wes House went 2-for-3 with a triple and three runs scored in game two, while Hingston (three RBIs, three runs), Braylon Currie (two RBIs, two runs) and Mikey Sullivan (RBI, two runs) finished with a hit apiece. Strittmatter (two RBIs, two runs), Blake Hingston (RBI) and Ethan Ford (three runs) rounded out Mackinaw City.
House earned the win on the mound, striking out four in two innings. Hingston struck out two.
With his performance on Wednesday, Hingston became Mackinaw City’s all-time leader in runs scored, surpassing former Comet Lars Huffman, who earned all-state honors in 2023. The Comets also secured a runner-up finish in the NLC with their victories.
Mackinaw City (16-7, 5-3 NLC) takes on Rudyard in a 10 a.m. MHSAA Division 4 district semifinal at Pickford on Friday, May 29.
CHEBOYGAN BASEBALL
Game 1 Final: Rogers City 22, Cheboygan 6 (Wednesday, May 27)
Cheboygan Stats: Adam Woolery (2-for-2), Josh Clark (double, RBI), Nolan Schley (hit), Ben Groya (hit), Liam Fradette (hit), Carter Hudson (RBI), Michael Laway (two pitching strikeouts)
Game 2 Final: Rogers City 11, Cheboygan 0
Cheboygan Stats: Nolan Schley (double), Michael Laway (hit)
Next up: vs. Petoskey (MHSAA Division 2 District Semifinal), 10 a.m., Saturday, May 30.
Contact sports editor Jared Greenleaf at jgreenleaf@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @sportsCDT
This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Mackinaw City softball captures Northern Lakes Conference title
Reporting by Jared Greenleaf, Cheboygan Daily Tribune / Cheboygan Daily Tribune
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