Escanaba’s Kinsley Williams (left) slides safely into home plate to add another run in the top of the second inning of a Little League Majors Division state softball tournament game played against St. Clair on July 9, 2024 at the Kaufman Sports Complex in Marquette. (Caden Sierra/Mining Journal)

MARQUETTE — Escanaba extended St. Clair to extra innings before being eliminated at the Little League Majors Division state softball tournament here at the Kaufman Sports Complex on Tuesday afternoon.

McKenzie Becker hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the eighth inning to secure this quarterfinal round win for St. Clair, which sent the Detroit-area team into this morning’s semifinals back at Kaufman.

A win in that game would put St. Clair in the state championship game this afternoon.

Ava Jackson started on the rubber for Escanaba and pitched a good game, striking out seven and walking one over six innings. She allowed five runs on eight hits.

St. Clair’s Camryn Cody pitched all eight innings to collect the win for St. Clair, striking out 11 and walking five while giving up five runs on nine hits.

Adelyn Humbert led Escanaba’s offense, going 2 for 4, while St. Clair’s Becker had a similar 2-for-4 day while driving in two runs.

The loss was a tough blow for Escanaba, whose tournament run ended in a game that exemplified their resilience and fighting spirit after the Delta County and LL District 10 representatives won two of three games during pool play from Saturday through Monday.

St. Clair seized the early advantage Tuesday, scoring two runs in the first inning before Escanaba answered back in the third. Adelyn Humbert and Kinsley Williams each drove in runs, giving Esky a 4-2 lead to shift the momentum back toward the Upper Peninsula.

A contentious play in the fifth allowed St. Clair to tie the game 5-5, keeping its hopes alive and setting up the tense finale. The game remained deadlocked in the sixth inning despite St. Clair advancing a runner to third, thanks to a key catch by Escanaba’s pitcher and steadfast defense, which sent the game into extra innings.

In the seventh, Escanaba brought in Addyson Stropich to pitch after Jackson was taken out to preserve a spot in potential games in the future. But as the game moved into the eighth with a runner placed on second base to start the inning, Escanaba reintroduced its original pitcher in hopes of maintaining the tie.

Despite Esky’s efforts, Becker delivered the crucial hit to the outfield, driving in the winning run and eliminating Escanaba. The Escanaba players did receive medals after the game for their participation in and advancement to this point in the event.

Both of today’s semifinals are scheduled for 10 a.m. at two fields at Kaufman. St. Clair faces another Detroit-area team in undefeated Grosse Pointe, while outstate Lower Peninsula teams Bullock Creek of Midland takes on Georgetown of the Grand Rapids area. Bullock Creek eliminated the U.P.’s other representative in the quarters, host Marquette, in Tuesday’s early game.

The semifinal winners will end up playing a doubleheader today with the state title game scheduled for 1 p.m.

Caden Sierra can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 551. His email address is csierra@nmu.edu.