MANISTEE - Scoring five runs in the last inning of the second game, the Mason County Eastern softball team salvaged a doubleheader split with Manistee Catholic Central on Monday in the Western Michigan D League opener for both teams.
Eastern won the second game 13-12, but lost 6-3 to the Sabers in the first contest. The Cardinals are now 6-2 overall and 1-1 on WMD.
Kara Bryan, a junior, went all six innings in the opener, allowing six hits, three walks and one hit batsman. She fanned seven.
"After playing so well on the weekend, we made quite a few mental and physical mistakes today," said Eastern coach Bill Cole.
"Kara has thrown a lot recently and I think she was a bit tired."
Sophomore catcher Jess Budzynski paced the Cardinals six-hit attack with a double and a single.
In the nightcap, Bryan was the winning pitcher as she gave up six hits, 10 walks and hit one batter while striking out five.
Eastern rapped out 13 hits in the second game, led by Bryan with a triple and two singles. Second baseman Crisha Barrett doubled twice, shortstop Stephanie Eichmeier and Budzynski each stroked a double and a single and centerfielder Nikki Kolean added a pair of singles.
Reprinted with permission from The Ludington Daily News.