ST. CLAIR — In the sweltering heat, with a Little League state championship on the line, there was no choice but to sweat it out.
Amid perspiration and a pitcher’s duel, the St. Clair softball team persevered against Georgetown, 1-0, to win the Michigan state title at Legacy Park on Tuesday, July 14.
With the victory, St. Clair advanced to the Central Region tournament in Whitestown, Indiana, which begins Friday, July 17.
“It feels amazing,” said St. Clair pitcher Kora Robbins, who threw nine strikeouts and a complete-game shutout. “I’m so glad to be here and do this, especially through the heat.”
The lone run came in the bottom of the fifth inning. With two outs, Nina Delore hit an RBI double to center field that scored Regan Stoltz from second base. Delore’s fly ball dropped right in front of Georgetown’s center fielder.
“(The pitch) was right down the middle,” Delore said. “It didn’t have a lot of spin, but it was going fast. I had two strikes and one ball. When you hit (in situations like that), you’ve always got to stay calm, relax and know that you could win the game.”
Added Delore: “When I saw (the ball) go to the center fielder, she dove for it and I thought it went in her glove. And when I heard everyone (from our team cheering), I got so happy.”
In addition to Delore, Robbins and Stoltz, St. Clair’s roster also features Hazel Snell, Mackenzie Stark, Paisley Karas, Jaycee David, Layla Ginop, Lily Burnham, Dillyn Cyplik and Brooklyn David.
“(The girls) just never quit,” St. Clair coach Mike Ginop said. “That’s the coolest thing about this team is their unity and their togetherness. And that starts with our community — the St. Clair Little League and what they do and the people that support us — it makes you emotional.
“Look at all the people here. There’s 300 people here that may or may not know all the girls (on our team). But they’re still here. We fed off the energy … the girls never stopped fighting and they love each other so much. I’m just so proud of them.”
As the Michigan representative of the Central Region tournament, St. Clair will face Kentucky’s state champion — Daviess County Little League — at 4 p.m. on Friday, July 17. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
“Now, we get to go to regionals,” Delore said. “We get to have (more) fun and play the game.”
Contact Brenden Welper at bwelper@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @BrendenWelper.
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: St. Clair Little League softball wins 2026 Michigan state championship
Reporting by Brenden Welper, Port Huron Times Herald / Port Huron Times Herald
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Brenden Welper, Port Huron Times Herald | USA TODAY Network
