The wait was worth it for the Centreville varsity softball team as the Bulldogs captured a Division 4 regional title with a 7-1 victory over Kalamazoo Christian Monday.
With weekend storms forcing many regional sites to reschedule games for Sunday and Monday, Centreville now has a quick turnaround with the state quarterfinal matchup with Ottawa Lake Whiteford scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday at Battle Creek’s Bailey Park.
The Bulldogs (33-6) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning after Jaedan Blades connected on a leadoff single and advanced to second on a Makenzi Troyer sacrifice. Mckenzie Sheteron’s single up the gut scored Blades. Centreville made it 2-0 in the fifth when Troyer singled to center with two outs and Sheteron brought her home with a double.
In the top of the sixth, Hannah Duchene reached safely on an error, Kenleigh West Wing singled and Olivia Deeds loaded the bases on a bunt and subsequent fielding error by the Comets. Kaylee Trattles’ double scored two runs to make it 4-0.
Later in the frame, Blades singled to reload the bases and Troyer doubled to center to score three more runs.
Sammy Gano hit a home run for the Comets in the seventh inning — just one of five hits K-Christian would get off Centreville starter Duchene, who struck out four in the complete-game effort. Sydney Duong, Jayme Koning, Stephanie Richardson and Jill Rozeveld (double) each had a hit for Kalamazoo Christian, which ended the year with a 27-10 record.
Sheteron led the Bulldogs with three hits, Blades and Troyer both had two, and Duchene, West Wing and Trattles had one apiece.