Escanaba senior Grayson LaMarche winds up to deliver a pitch during a game against Gladstone on May 13, 2025 at Gladstone High School. (“The Big Dog” Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press)

GLADSTONE — Escanaba senior Grayson LaMarche has achieved a lot on the softball diamond.

The soon to be Michigan Wolverine has two First Team All-State nods as one of the brightest jewels on her crown of a resume. On Tuesday she added another accolade, striking out a combined 32 batters as the No. 2 Eskymos swept arch rival Gladstone, the No. 4 team in Division 3 in Gladstone.

“I was hoping she would get to that threshold,” Eskymos coach Andy Field said. “But for her to get to that threshold is remarkable on her part.”

Here’s what went down

Game one

Escanaba 5, Gladstone 2

LaMarche allowed two unearned runs in the top of the seventh and allowed two hits, one to MIT commit Lauran Sundquist and one to future Grand Rapids Community College Raider Tia Schone. LaMarche also fanned 19 in the win, striking out the side in the second, third, fifth and sixth innings.

“She showed a lot of grit,” Field said of LaMarche. “She pitched really well today. This is what she works for.”

Of course Schone kept the Braves in check in the circle, limiting the damage which the Eskymos are more than capable of mustering. Esky left runners on first and second to close the second stanza and left runners on second and third in the third frame.

But the Eskymos broke through on the scoreboard with two outs in the fourth.

Senior Clara Braun blasted a 1-2 pitch to shortstop Ava Goodman. Braun beat the throw to first by milliseconds, allowing senior McKenzie Engebretson to score from third for a 1-0 lead. It was the only run the orange and black scratched across in the frame after LaMarche was intentionally walked and junior Chloe Dubord grounded out with the bases loaded.

An RBI single from Engebretson and a two-run double from junior Addison Noblet highlighted a three-run fifth inning and a two-out RBI single from senior Carly Bowden in the sixth gave the Eskymos a 5-0 lead.

Schone was tagged with the loss, allowing five runs (four earned) off 12 hits with two walks and eight strikeouts across seven innings.

Junior Harlee Coolman finished 2-for-3. Bowden, Braun and LaMarche also added multi-hit games with the latter earning a double.

Game two

Escanaba 8, Gladstone 3

The Eskymos got ahead in the first inning off Braves freshman Lauren Pare. An Engebretson ground ball morphed into a Goodman error to score Dubord for a 1-0 lead. Two batters later senior Maddy Mott earned a bases-loaded walk on five pitches for a 2-0 lead after one.

And while the Braves continued to struggle to mount any sort of offense of LaMarche, Pare began to settle down after a first frame which saw her struggle to find the strike zone.

In fact, a single from LaMarche in the second inning was the only base runner she allowed between the second and fourth frames.

“I’m really encouraged by her outing today,” Braves skipper Scott Herioux said of the freshman. “She settled down, and I thought she pitched really well. Hats off to her. She stayed and competed.”

The Eskymos tacked on three runs in the fifth off an RBI single from senior Katey Lamb, a bases-loaded walk to Coolman and an RBI groundout by Mott. Esky ballooned its lead to 8-0 off an RBI groundout from Dubord and a two-run double from Bowden.

Oh, LaMarche started game two. She only went five innings. She allowed one hit and struck out 13 in the finale, striking out the side in the third, fourth and fifth innings, including 10-consecutive punchouts.

The Braves tacked on three runs off a two-run single from Sundquist, who later scored when Bowden’s pick-off attempt at third base went wild and found the left field grass. But it was the only damage the Braves mustered off Esky junior Landry Bray, who allowed three runs (one earned) off a hit with two walks and four strikeouts in two innings of relief.

Sundquist and Larson earned the Braves lone hits on the night.

Pare took the loss, allowing eight runs (six earned) off seven hits with six walks and a strikeout in a complete game effort which was also her first taste of rivalry action.

LaMarche and Bowden each had multi-hit games with a double.

What’s next

The Braves trip for two games in Norway on Wednesday afternoon while the Eskymos hit the road to face Negaunee for two on Thursday.