Lady Warriors bow out of semi-final

Tuscola’s softball team never had to experience a loss opening the season with twenty three straight wins and will not be able to regroup from their first one falling in the Tuscola Sectional semi-final by one run to a very good Paris squad 3-2. The ladies in black and gold fought back from a three run deficit but couldn’t close the deal ending their year with a 23-1 mark overall. 

Warriors ace Kaitlyn Reifsteck took her first loss of the season as well, firing a seven-inning one hitter. The senior hurler fanned twelve, walked just one and allowed just two to reach base. She was also strong with the bat in her hand going two for three on the day. 

Paris took advantage of a first inning walk and a Warrior miscue to plate the first run. The second hitter of the game put down a sac bunt, was thrown out at first but a throw to second base got loose and scooted to the fence allowing the runner to score. Reifsteck fanned five of the next seven retiring ten in a row before giving up a second base runner on a bad hop and the two run home run that followed it in the fourth. She sat down the next eleven and singled in the second but it was not enough as the Warriors left seven on the bags in the game. 

Kendyl Ring singled in the third with two gone stole second only to be stranded. Taylor Musgrave took one for the team in the fourth and it looked like the Warriors would cut into the three run Lady Tiger lead when Paris’s shortstop snagged a Reifsteck line drive out of the air to end the threat. Marissa Russo was the next to be left after a two out double in the fifth. 

Ella Boyer however found her way home in the sixth following a leadoff single to left and a little help from a friend. The two-hitter trotted home on a two run homerun over the left field fence by Taylor Musgrave cutting the lead to one. Reifsteck followed with a one out single a batter later, moved to second after Jessie Martin walked and looked to score but a deep ball by Kerri Pierce to center ended up in the hands of the Tigers once more suppressing the threat. The Warriors went down in order in the bottom of the seventh putting an end to a very good 2021 campaign.