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GLADSTONE -- The Gladstone Minor Little League All-Stars (age 8-10) stayed alive in the state softball tournament here Monday, posting a 10-4 victory over Rogers City in a quarterfinal game.
Escanaba wasn't as fortunate, dropping a 5-0 decision to Kalamazoo West Portage.
Gladstone hosts West Portage in a semifinal contest today at 10 a.m. on the high school diamond.
The winner advances to the state championship game Wednesday at 10.
Gladstone opened the scoring in the first inning, then erupted for seven runs in the second for an 8-0 advantage.
The Gladstone All-Stars sent 11 hitters to the plate and collected six of their eight hits in the second. Among those was Addy Sanville's RBI triple to leftfield and Ruby Tuljus' RBI single to right.
"The girls are hitting the ball, and we have confidence they'll keep hitting the ball," said Gladstone manager Jim Larson.
Rogers City responded with four runs in the fourth, scoring its first run on Natalie Crawford's ground out to the pitcher.
Kenzie Jaeger tripled to left, then scored on Reece Brege's double to left.
Brege made it 8-3 on a wild pitch, and Gabby Bruning scored Rogers City's fourth run on an error.
"We had some momentum," said Rogers City manager Leann Schalk. "We held them to two runs through the rest of the game, but it wasn't enough to win. They brought their starting pitcher back to the mound, and she was tough."
Gladstone, taking advantage of two errors and a wild pitch, added a pair of runs in its half of the fourth.
Sanville, who took the win, pitched five innings of no-hit ball. She struck out 13 and walked four. Reece Lovell worked the fourth frame, walked two and allowed four runs on two hits.
"We switched things up, and that was okay," said Larson. "The kids took care of business. They did what they needed to do and got the win. Addy is throwing the ball well right now. When you have a pitcher of her caliber, it makes things a lot easier."
Esky managed two hits off Tessa Jewell, who fanned 12, walked none and allowed just two baserunners.
"She was amazing," said Esky manager Brian Parlato. "Her change-up was real good, and she kept our hitters off balance. For 5 1/2 innings we played our tails off, then the game got away from us. Braelin (Grandchamp) was a force for us. She threw amazing in every game, Without her, we don't get here. We had to fight our way through the loser's bracket in the district. It was a great run. I'll stack our defense up against anybody. The girls played great through the whole tournament. I couldn't be more proud of the effort."
West Portage took advantage of a passed ball, wild pitch and an error prior to scoring its last two runs on Noel Mathieu's double to right-center.
Esky's best scoring chance took place in the fifth when Kinsley Williams singled to right, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing miscue.
"Keeping them from scoring was huge," said West Portage manager Dave Jewell. "That could have been a big momentum builder for them. They're a good team. They're very well-coached and disciplined. Tessa was like a machine. Her change-up was working, and our defense played well. It took us a long time to score, but we made contact. We told the girls if they made contact, good things would happen. We've gotten great hospitality up here. It has been fun."
Mathieu had two of West Portage's four hits off Grandchamp, who struck out four and walked three.
West Portage had baserunners in all six innings and stranded seven.