Chelsea Softball Knocks Off Top-Ranked Lakeshore

A battle between two of the top teams in Division 2 was just that Saturday as Chelsea knocked off Division 2 top-ranked and defending state champion Stevensville Lakeshore 2-1 in eight innings at the Lakeshore tournament.

The Bulldogs entered the tournament ranked sixth in D2 along with #1 Lakeshore, D2 honorable mention Edwardsburg, and perennial Indiana state power Crown Point and came home with a 2-1 record on the day.

The highlight of the tournament was the win over Lakeshore.

It was a pitcher’s duel between the Bulldog’s Emilee Underwood and Lakeshore’s Avery Arwood.

Both pitchers allowed just one hit through seven innings and the game remained scoreless and go to extra innings.

A runner was put on second to start the eighth and after a sacrifice bunt, the Lancers got a single to plate the first run of the game and take a 1-0 lead. Lakeshore would get another single, but Underwood got a groundout to end the inning and give the Bulldogs a chance.

With a runner placed on second, Underwood sacrificed Dani Wahl to third with a bunt, but a strikeout by Arwood gave Chelsea its second out. Mya Purdy came to the plate and ripped a two-out double to score Wahl and Jenna Ouellette followed with a single to right to score Purdy with the winning run.

Underwood finished with 13 strikeouts and allowed three hits and a walk in eight innings.

Megan McCalla and Underwood had the Bulldogs other hits to go along with Purdy and Ouellette’s eighth inning heroics.

The Bulldogs opened the tournament with a 14-0 pasting of Edwardsburg.

Chelsea pounded out 19 hits in the game, including two home runs by Purdy and one by McCalla.

Purdy had a big game, going 4-4 with two home runs and 7 rbi.

Ouellette had three hits and two runs scored, while Madison Kay had two hits and two rbi. Underwood added two hits, Avery Lay three hits and one rbi, and Samantha Dark two hits and one rbi.

Underwood was again nearly unhittable with a one-hitter and striking out seven.

The Bulldogs third game of the day saw Chelsea fall behind Crown Point 6-0, but the game was called due to storms rolling into the area.