Eastern clinches WMD softball title with pair of no-hit victories
Custer- Mason County Eastern's Kara Bryan and Melanie Stickney each tossed a no-hitter Monday as the Cardinals clinched the Western Michigan D League championship by sweeping a double header with the Onekama Portagers.
Eastern won the first game 10-0 in four innings as Bryan, a junior, walked four and struck out seven. The Cardinals then won the second game, 11-0 in five innings, behind the pitching of Stickney, a senior. Stickney walked two and fanned nine.
"It was very nice to clinch the league title with two no-hitters," said Eastern coach Bill Cole. "Both no-hitters were saved by a great catch in the outfield. In the first game, it was Stephany Eichmeier and in the second game Nikki Kolean came up with the diving catch."
The league title was the 12th straight for the Cardinals.
Eastern is now 9-1 in the league and 19-8 overall.
In the first win, Kolean, playing centerfield, led the Cardinals' 12-hit attack with a triple and a double. Catcher Jessica Budzynski hit a pair of singles. Bryan added a double and a single.
In the nightcap, Eastern mustered nine hits to back up the pitching of Stickney. Bryan, playing leftfield, rapped out a double and a single. Heather Salmon laced two singles. Kolean smacked a double for the victorious Cardinals.
Reprinted with permission from The Ludington Daily News.