Escanaba junior Chloe Dubord celebrates while trotting around the bases after hitting a home run during a MHSAA Division 2 district semifinal game against Sault Ste. Marie on May 29, 2025 at Abrahamson Field. Dubord, who entered the game with one career home run, mashed two home runs in a 10-3 win over the Blue Devils. (“The Big Dog” Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press)

ESCANABA — For the second straight season Escanaba softball gets to call itself a district champion.

For the second straight season, the Eskymos stay in the hunt for a Division 2 state championship. And it all starts at Alma College on Saturday.

Esky defeated Kingsford 12-0, Sault Ste. Marie 10-3 and Petoskey 3-0 last week to claim their second straight district championship and first on its home field in seven years.

“When we work together we can really get a lot done,” senior catcher Carly Bowden said after Thursday’s victories over the Blue Devils and Northmen. “When all of our bats are hot, and when we’re all really wanting it, we’re really good.”

The No. 1 Eskymos now know the field for Saturday’s Division 2 regional action. It’s a region with familiar faces, and even a new one.

Esky starts regional action at noon Saturday against Shepherd. The Blue Jays knocked off Big Rapids 15-0 in five innings to claim their district championship and bested Belding 8-1 in semifinal action.

Shepherd, located about 15 minutes north of Alma College, boasts a record of 27-14. The Blue Jays split a doubleheader against Standish-Sterling on May 7, earned a 12-6 win over Sault Ste. Marie on April 12, knocked off Ann Arbor Pioneer 10-2 and Owosso 11-6 on May 3 and started their season with two wins over Saginaw Swan Valley.

Shepherd also has an 11-10 loss to Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart, two losses to Beal City, the No. 2 team in Division 4, two losses to Clare, the No. 1 team in Division 3 and fell 2-1 to Petoskey, the team Escanaba defeated 3-0 for a district championship.

Lylah Curtiss has tossed the most innings for the Blue Jays this season. She’s 11-6 with a 3.29 ERA, a WHIP of 1.41 and has 81 strikeouts to 54 walks. MeKahna Seeley has also been a pitching option for Shepherd with a 9-1 record. She has a 4.06 ERA, a WHIP of 1.73 and 60 strikeouts to 41 walks.

At the plate Elise McDonald has been a steady presence with a .486 batting average, an OPS of 1.286, 16 doubles, six triples, two home runs and 32 RBIs and is 18-for-18 on stolen base attempts. Leela Engelhardt leads the Blue jays with a .821 slugging percentage (minimum of 80 plate appearances) with 20 doubles, four triples, two home runs and 40 RBIs with a .476 batting average. Katie Robinson leads the Blue Jays with 41 RBIs.

Defensively, Shepherd has committed 80 errors across 41 games and owns a fielding percentage of .929.

The winner between the Blue Jays and No. 1 Eskymos faces the winner of Saturday’s opener between Muskegon Oakridge (21-9) and No. 3 Gaylord (23-7).

The Blue Devils, reigning back-to-back state champs in Division 2, earned an 18-1 four-inning win over Oakridge in the state quarterfinal round last season. The Eskymos have a 5-0 win over Oakridge under their belt from an April 19 meeting.

However, the Eskymos have had their last two seasons ended by Gaylord. The Blue Devils earned a 12-2 win over Esky in last season’s regional championship game and won 13-1 in district semifinal action in 2023.

But what are the Eskymos willing to do to bring home their first regional championship since 2022?

“Anything. Pretty much anything,” said senior Grayson LaMarche, who hurled a perfect game in the Eskymos’ district championship win over the Northmen. “I’m really excited to continue this with my teammates.”