ESCANABA - Three Delta County softball teams captured regional high school championships Saturday and will advance to quarterfinal action Tuesday.
Escanaba won its first regional championship since 2003 by clubbing Cadillac 9-1 and Howard City Tri-County 10-0 at West Branch. The Eskymos (25-13) go to Mount Pleasant at 4 p.m. Tuesday to face Saginaw Swan Valley.
Escanaba was the Division 1 state runner-up in 2003.
Article Photos
The Rapid River Rockets hoist the Division 4 regional softball championship trophy Saturday in Sault Ste. Marie. They beat Posen and Rogers City to earn a quarterfinal berth at Traverse City West Tuesday. (Daily Press photo by Dennis Grall)
Gladstone captured its ninth straight D-3 regional at Charlevoix by beating Traverse City St. Francis 6-2 for the title after swamping Tawas Area 8-0 to avenge a regular season loss. The Braves (25-5-1) go to Traverse City West at noon Tuesday to play Reed City.
The Braves won state championships in 2004 and 2009.
Rapid River clipped Rogers City 6-1 for its second straight D-4 title after slipping past Posen 2-1 in nine innings at Sault Ste.?Marie. Ashley Hough's single off the third baseman's glove drove in the winning run against Posen, then Neena Brockway had a two-run home run in the title game.
The Rockets (34-5) meet Bellaire at 3 p.m. Tuesday at Traverse City West. The Rockets lost in the semifinals in 2009 and 2011.
Baseball was not as fortunate as Escanaba dropped a 7-1 decision to Remus Chippewa Hills in the D-2 regional opener. Chippewa Hills then beat West Branch Ogemaw Heights 4-1 for the regional title.
For details on all four Delta County teams, see Monday's Daily?Press.