Escanaba junior McKenzie Engebretson prepares to swing at a pitch during a game against Menominee on May 1, 2024 in Escanaba. ("The Big Dog" Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press)

ESCANABA –Patience in the batters box and strong pitching performances from Maddy Mott and Landry Bray proved to be pivotal on Wednesday.

Escanaba softball earned a doubleheader sweep over Menominee, winning game one 15-0 in three innings and won game two 14-0 in five innings.

Here’s what went down:

Escanaba 15, Menominee 0

Esky wasted no time jumping ahead in Wednesday’s opener. With RBI doubles from Anna Boutilier, Addison Nobley and Taylor Forvilly, along with RBI singles from Harlee Coolman, McKenzie Engebretson and a RBI sacrifice fly from Boutilier later in the inning, Esky jumped to a 7-0 lead out of the gate.

Esky went quiet in the batters box in the second frame, but found its pulse in the third. Coolman belted a sacrifice fly for an out, Mott drove in a run off a groundout and Engebretson walloped another RBI single to take a 10-0 lead.

After Noblet reached first on a dropped third strike, Forvilly came up to bat with a pair of ducks on the pond. She drew a full count, but ultimately reached after looking at ball four to load the bases.

The next five Esky hitters reached first base via walk, adding five runs to force the three-inning run rule.

The Eskymos finished with 11 walks and 10 hits in the win.

Mott struck out six and walked none in three perfect innings in the circle.

Escanaba 14, Menominee 0

The orange and black stayed on cruise control to start game two. A RBI single from Engebreston and two-run double from Emma Wisler highlighted a four-run opening inning. Esky tacked on four more in the second off two passed balls and a two-run single from Engebretson for a 8-0 lead. A bases loaded walk and a RBI groundout from Mott gave Esky a 10-0 advantage after three. A RBI single from Clara Braun, RBI groundout from Coolman and two-run single from Boutilier put the out of reach at 14-0.

Esky drew 10 walks and earned six hits in the win.

Landry Bray earned the win, walking five and striking out six across five hitless innings.

Boutilier and Engebretson each tallied three RBI. Mott and Wisler drove in two runs each. McInerney drew four walks and scored four runs.

Getting red hot at the right time

With the sweep over the Maroons, Esky has now claimed wins in five-straight games and in six of its last seven. Its only loss in that stretch came against 2023 Division 1 state semifinalist Lake Orion. The stretch also came without All-State pitcher and University of Michigan commit Grayson Lamarche, who’s missed the last nine games due to an undisclosed matter.

But the first two games without Lamarche, a doubleheader loss to Negaunee, revealed that Esky needed to find a new identity.

“It was one of those deals where initial shock of the whole thing kind of sat in,” Esky coach Andy Fields said of the situation. “We had one practice and then we played Negaunee. We learned a lot from those two games.”

The Eskymos have seen players find success in Lamarche’s absence.

In the circle Mott is finding her mojo. She’s earned wins in her last four starts, allowing one earned run off 13 hits with four walks and 30 strikeouts across 21 innings, including shutout wins over North Branch, Anchor Bay and Menominee.

Sophomore Landry Bray is also finding her groove. While she allowed four earned runs off one hit with five walks against Lake Orion, she’s carving Great Northern Conference batters.

In her last two appearances, Bray has allowed one earned run off three hits with six walks and 16 strikeouts in 10 innings of work.

“(Mott and Bray), this last week or so, have really stepped up and worked hard,” Fields said. “It’s starting to show.”

From the batters box, Fields admits that the Eskymos are starting to have fun again.

“The confidence is coming,” Fields said. “And with the confidence comes the hits, comes the good pitching, the good fielding. It all starts coming together. All these girls have each other’s backs. It’s a great feeling as a coach to sit back and watch this.”

As an added bonus, Lamarche was back with the team today. She threw a brief bullpen session and was in the dugout for the Eskymos first game.

“She’s not all there yet,” Fields said of Lamarche. “She’s poking in at practices now. We’ll get her back soon.”