Loaded softball box scores continue to headline Gaylord-area top performers
GAYLORD — Otsego County continues to be dominated by softball.
With two state title contenders out of the three area teams its easy to see why they've gained so much attention, but with the loaded box scores and absurd individual performances area softball players continue to put up, the 'Top Athletes of the Week' list gets closer and closer to a 'Top Softball Players of the Week' list.
Here are the top performers around Otsego County this past week:
SOFTBALL
Gaylord
Taylor Moeggenberg: Gaylord swept Cadillac in its first Big North doubleheader of the season on Tuesday, April 23, outscoring the Vikings 38-0 in two more victories. Two-time all-state catcher Taylor Moeggenberg had a big game one, homering three times while driving in seven total runs in the 23-0 win.
Alexis Shepherd: Toledo signee Alexis Shepherd has always had a consistent bat but seems to be adding a bit of power to her game. She went 5-for-7 with two doubles, a home run and nine RBI in the two wins at Cadillac.
Jayden Jones: The Virginia Tech signee returned to the circle this past week, her first time pitching since suffering a hand injury last season. She dominated in her game one win at Cadillac, striking out seven of the nine batters she faced in a three-inning, mercy-shortened game. She also went 2-for-2 with a home run and three RBI in the game two victory.
Feature: How sophomore Nora Bethuy is helping a veteran-led defending state champion
More softball: Why Gaylord softball is the favorite to win another Division 2 state championship
JoBurg
Jayden Marlatt: Another week, another four wins for the Johannesburg-Lewiston softball team as the Cardinals swept both Onaway and Ellsworth to improve to 12-0. And again, it was another opportunity to put up some absurd numbers for senior Jayden Marlatt; she went 9-for-13 with 11 RBI, 8 runs scored, 6 doubles and a home run over the team's four victories. She also got two more wins in the circle, allowing no earned runs in nine innings with 17 strikeouts.
Brittney Fox: Junior Brittney Fox had a big game two against Onaway, homering and hitting a triple while driving in three runs in a 15-0 win.
BASEBALL
JoBurg
Tanner Basinski: Tanner Basinski had a dominant performance ont he mound in JoBurg's 12-1 over Ellsworth on Wednesday, striking out 12 batters in 4.2 innings while giving up just one unearned run.
TRACK AND FIELD
Gaylord
Cirio Espositos: Espositos has quickly become Gaylord's top sprinter, winning the 200-meter run in a dual with Petoskey on Wednesday while setting a PR in the 100-meter run with a time of 11.44 seconds.
Ella Moylan: The top thrower for the Gaylord girls team, Moylan won the shot put on Wednesday with her best throw of the season at 32 feet, 9 inches before tying for the top spot in discus with a throw of 87 feet, 2 inches.
Gaylord St. Mary
Mirriam Murrell: GSM's top runner, Murrell won both the 800-meter (2:44.83) and the 1600-meter runs (5:50.41) at the Bellaire Open on Monday, April 22.
JoBurg
Jeremiah Witt: JoBurg's Jeremiah Witt three-peated atop the podium in Bellaire on Monday, winning the 1600-meter run (5:23.45), the 3200-meter run (11:18.02) and the 4x800-meter relay (10:04.17), helping the JoBurg boys place fourth overall with 92 points.
GOLF
Gaylord
Luke Sommervile: Junior Luke Sommerville led Gaylord to a fifth-place finish at the Cadillac Invitational on Wednesday, placing sixth individually with a score of 78 strokes.
Contact GHT Sports Editor Dylan Jespersen at Djespersen@gaylordheraldtimes.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @dylanjespersen, and Instagram, @dylanjespersen
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Check out the top performers from Gaylord, St. Mary and JoBurg from the week of April 23
