Payback! Clutch offensive display keys Cheboygan softball in home sweep over TC West

CHEBOYGAN – Last year, the Cheboygan softball team was swept thoroughly by Traverse City West.

On Monday, the Chiefs turned the tables on the Titans by delivering an explosive offensive display and rolling to a sweep with 11-4 and 11-1 victories at home.

“I was really happy with the way the girls put the bat on the ball tonight. They really came out swinging,” Cheboygan coach Mike LaLonde said. “The error monster got us in one of those innings, but we’ll get better with the defense. These were two really good victories over a Class A school, and we've had excellent pitching."

After stranding runners during their first few innings of game one, the Chiefs (6-2) found a groove in the bottom of the third when sophomore Presley Chamberlain ripped an RBI double that tied the game. A few batters later, senior Marley Couture delivered a clutch base hit that scored two and gave Cheboygan 3-1 lead.

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Chamberlain (two runs), Couture (run), Libby VanFleet (double, two runs) and Amelia Johnson (double, two runs) each finished with two hits apiece for the Chiefs, who also received contributions from Emerson Eustice (hit, run) and Emily Clark (double, two runs).

VanFleet, who earned the win on the mound, struck out 15 TC West batters over six innings.

The Chiefs carried their offensive rhythm over into the nightcap, as VanFleet (double, two runs), Clark (two runs) and Eustice (two runs) recorded two hits apiece. Others adding hits were Chamberlain (three runs), Ella Kosanke (RBI), Tessa Lake (run), Couture and freshman Nataleigh Blaisdell. The hit for Blaisdell was her first as a varsity player. Johnson scored a run.

Eustice was the winning pitcher, striking out seven in five innings.

“We showed we can compete with the bigger schools,” LaLonde said. “We went to (Traverse City Central) on Saturday, and even though we didn’t win, we had a lot of good things come out of that doubleheader. We have some injuries right now, so we have to get healed up, but I’m happy with the way the girls are playing.”

Cheboygan continues its busy schedule this week with a doubleheader at Alpena on Tuesday.

Contact sports editor Jared Greenleaf at jgreenleaf@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @sportsCDT

This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Cheboygan softball team captures home sweep over Traverse City West