Escanaba senior Maddy Mott (23) attempts to keep her balance after catching a flyball while junior Addison Noblet leaps in the air in excitement during a MHSAA Division 2 state quarterfinal game against Hudsonville Unity Christian on June 10, 2025 at Margo Jonker Stadium on the campus of Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant. ("The Big Dog" Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press)

ESCANABA — For the first time since 2022, Escanaba softball is one of four teams left standing in Division 2.

The No. 1 Eskymos collide with No. 7 Richmond at 12:30 p.m. Thursday at Sacchia Stadium on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing.

“It means everything,” senior pitcher Grayson LaMarche said after a 10-0 five-inning win over Gaylord on June 7. “We’re all best friends. We want to keep playing as long as we can.”

Scouting Richmond

Once again the Eskymos are primed to face-off against the Blue Devils. This time it’s the No. 7 team in Division 2.

Richmond possesses a 30-7 record thus far. The Blue Devils bested Macomb Lutheran North 8-1 in their district title game, earned a 3-1 eight-inning win over Orchard Lake St. Mary’s and a 7-3 win over Marysville to claim a regional title on June 7 and knocked off No. 10 Goodrich 6-0 in their quarterfinal game on Tuesday.

The Eskymos and Blue Devils do have multiple common opponents.

Richmond beat Millington 1-0 and 6-4 on May 3. The Blue Devils also faced Macomb Dakota, dropping the first game 2-1 on April 12 and losing the second one 14-4 in five innings on April 21. Richmond also owns a 10-5 win over Walled Lake Northern.

Esky knocked off Millington 10-0 in six innings in Escanaba on May 10 as part of the 2025 Candy Swetkis SISU Strikefest Tournament and knocked off Macomb Dakota 16-1 in five innings behind two grand slams in the fourth inning by senior Katey Lamb, an inning where the Eskymos erupted to score 12 runs.

The Eskymos did fall to Walled Lake Northern 13-0 on May 3. LaMarche, soon to be a Michigan Wolverine, struck out the side in the fifth inning, her lone inning of work against the Knights, the No. 6 team in Division 1 who fell 6-1 to South Lyon in their state quarterfinal game on Tuesday.

LaMarche stays sharp

Speaking of LaMarche, she has been nothing short of spectacular this postseason.

Kingsford’s Karly Trevillian earned a solo home run off LaMarche in the Eskymos season finale on May 22. It’s also the last run LaMarche has allowed.

Since Memorial Day weekend LaMarche has yielded five hits and six walks while striking out 64 batters across 26 2/3 shutout innings of work. She fired a five-inning, 15 strikeout no hitter in a 12-0 district quarterfinal win over the Flivvers. She followed that up with a perfect game featuring 16 strikeouts in a 3-0 district championship win over Petoskey.

In fact, Gaylord’s Nora Bethuy was the first person to get a hit off LaMarche in postseason play, a lead-off double in the third inning in Saturday’s regional championship game. Gaylord is also the only team so far to put a runner in scoring position on the Eskymos.

Defense continues to shine

While LaMarche continues to shine in the circle, the Eskymos defense has been nothing but strong behind her. Of the three Eskymo errors committed this postseason, one has come while LaMarche was doing her usual office work with a neon green ball in her right hand.

But Tuesday’s state quarterfinal game didn’t feel like a day where the Eskymos defense was going to shine. In fact, Fields was quick to point out that Tuesday’s pregame fielding drills were the worst Esky has done in. Yet, once the home plate umpire yelled “play ball” something changed. Every single fielder had their moment to shine.

There was senior catcher Carly Bowden throwing out Hudsonville Unity Christian’s Sydney Overweg attempting to steal second base in the bottom of the third. Junior outfielders Breleigh Reinhart and Addison Noblet came up with crucial snags.

Then there was senior Maddy Mott at shortstop, who made an incredible over the shoulder catch for the first out of the bottom of the seventh.

“We came in knowing we can play,” senior Clara Braun said after Tuesday’s quarterfinal win. “We know we can make plays, play with confidence. We’re there for each other and cheer everyone on.”

“The Big Dog” Mitch Vosburg is a multi-time award-winning sports writer and photographer who proudly serves as sports editor for The Daily Press and the Upper Peninsula sports scene. He can be reached at mvosburg@dailypress.net. Follow him on Instagram (@themantheycallmitch) and on X (@realmitchvburg).