Schoolcraft Will Debut, Millington to Return
June 14, 2019
By Jason Schmitt
Special for Second Half
EAST LANSING – Of course, Schoolcraft’s Allie Goldschmeding knew what was on the line as she sped toward first base during the eighth inning of Friday’s Division 3 Semifinal against Dundee.
And she gave everything it took to beat out her grounder and send her team to its first MHSAA softball championship game.
Goldschmeding beat out the throw to first base, allowing teammate Kayla Onken to score the winning run in the Eagles’ 4-3 win at Secchia Stadium.
“I was like, ‘I’ve gotta run as hard as I can and try to get to the base because I’ve got to put my full effort in,’” Goldschmeding said. “It feels amazing. It feels great because I felt like, with the bases loaded and there being two outs, I could deliver for my team and get us to go to the state championship (game).”
Onken got things started by drawing a walk off Dundee pitcher McKenna Schmidt. She advanced to third base thanks to walks to senior Mikayla Meade and freshman Sophie Ridge. That set the stage for Goldschmeding, whose slow dribbler rolled to Schmidt’s left. She was able to get to it and pitch it to first baseman Ashley Fietz. But it wasn’t in time. Onken crossed home plate and sent the Eagles into celebration mode.
“I was more watching the runner going home, but it was close,” Schoolcraft head coach Shane Barry said. “We’ll take it for sure, with it being our first time making it to the state (finals). We’ve been working toward this all year. It’s just amazing.”
Allie Goldschmeding wasn’t the only hero for the Eagles. Her twin sister, Kelby Goldschmeding, hit a game-tying, two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to give her team a second life. Onken started that rally off with a base on balls as well.
“She’s just coming off an injury, so all she can do is really bat right now, and run,” Barry said of Kelby Goldschmeding. “It’s a little surprising she pushed the ball. She normally pulls everything. It was perfect timing for us. We needed it. It finally fired the girls up. We were a little down there for a while. We started to finally pick it up. The home run definitely helped us out a lot.”
Allie Goldschmeding, sophomore Jordan Watts and Ridge all finished with two hits for Schoolcraft (32-4), which will face Millington in Saturday’s championship game.
Junior Adrienne Rosey relieved Meade in the circle to begin the third inning and threw the final six, getting the pitching win while giving up two runs on four hits, with nine strikeouts.
Dundee coach Mickey Moody felt his team let too many good scoring opportunities slip through its hands. The Vikings had four straight hits to begin the second inning, but could not push a run across the plate.
“We had chances to score in the first two innings, and we did not do that,” said Moody, whose team finished 33-10. “We probably should have been up seven runs in the first two innings. We had plenty of opportunities to score, and we just didn’t do it.”
Schmidt took the loss in the circle, despite pitching 7? solid innings. She allowed just three earned runs and struck out 10 batters. Schmidt and McKenna Salley each had two hits to lead Dundee’s offense.
“The girls had a great year. That’s just a great group of kids to coach,” Moody said. “I’m really pleased with how they did this year. That loss doesn’t change what kind of team they are. We played really good teams all year, and we’ve done well.”
Millington 7, Standish-Sterling 1
A plan was developed before the season, one which would keep Millington senior Gabbie Sherman fresh for a deep run in the playoffs. Thanks to another stellar performance by Sherman and the entire Cardinals’ offense in Friday’s Semifinal win over Standish-Sterling, coach Greg Hudie might just get to see that plan play out to perfection.
Hudie’s team collected 14 hits, scoring all seven of its runs over the final four innings, and Sherman pitched another gem to help lead her team back into the Division 3 championship game on Saturday.
“We talked before the season even started about her pitch count, where we wanted her,” said Hudie, who saw Sherman allow just one earned run while striking out nine, running her record to 22-2 with the victory. “Our overall goal was to win this (tournament). Sometimes when you have an ace pitcher, she wants to throw every inning of every game. We devised a plan because we wanted her fresh this week. She’s been pitching every game of the tournament, and she’s getting stronger and stronger, so I can’t wait to see how she does in her second championship game. I think she’s got some unfinished business to do in that, so I think she’s going to be fantastic tomorrow.”
The No. 1-ranked Cardinals – last season’s Division 3 runners-up – will face Schoolcraft in the title game.
Millington broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning, thanks to an RBI double by junior Madi Hahn, scoring senior Leah Denome. The Cardinals would add two more in the fifth and one in the sixth before breaking it wide open in the seventh. A double by Sherman scored two, while senior Hannah Rabideau’s single drove in freshman Leah Coleman to cap off the scoring.
Denome and Hahn each finished 3-for-4 to lead the Cardinals. Denome scored three and drove in two with a two-run home run. Sherman, senior Sydney Bishop and junior Darrien Roberts each added two hits.
Five players collected a hit for the Panthers, including juniors Lakin Fryzel, Mattie Fegan, Emily Jenkins, Karleigh McBride and sophomore Taylor Stodolak. Fryzel took the loss in the circle.
“What got us to this point is our defense and the strength in our pitching, and we showed that to start this game,” Standish-Sterling head coach Rich Sullivan said. “The first three innings, we were shutting down a very potent offense. But a good team will catch up with pitching, and that’s what they are. They started adjusting to what we were doing, and they capitalized on a couple of mistakes we made.
“Gabbie Sherman, she’s tough on the mound and we weren’t able to get those big hits when we needed them. We’d get a hit here with two outs, or a hit and then the next two would strike out. We couldn’t do a lot of things we like to do on offense, bunt and steal and put pressure on the defense. They took that part of our game away.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Schoolcraft catcher Jordan Watts places a tag on Dundee’s Ashley Salenbien to keep her from scoring Friday. (Middle) Millington’s Leah Denome rounds third base on the way to scoring in the Cardinals’ win.
Traverse City Central's Battery Charged as Talented Trojans Take On Title Pursuits
By
Tom Spencer
Special for MHSAA.com
May 1, 2026
Not yet.
Traverse City Central seniors Anna Tabaczka, Anika Peterson, Rachel Poortenga, Grace Cary and Piper Cavanaugh are well aware the Trojans have never finished first in the history of the Big North Conference.
They’re also aware a Regional softball trophy is not in the school’s illustrious trophy case.
But perhaps the strong senior leadership group is mostly aware Central just hasn’t won those crowns yet, with the emphasis on “yet.” The Trojans are focused on winning one game at a time with their eyes on those elusive prizes.
“It’s definitely one game at a time because I know there's a lot of good teams out there and it takes run support, and it takes clean defense,” said second-year Trojans head coach Julie Tiesworth. “Our District is not a cakewalk. So we can't cross any bridges too soon. Winning the conference has never been done – it's a goal – but I'd say making a postseason run is our biggest goal.”
It’s been a near-perfect season for Central so far. In fact, it’s pretty much been a dream season.
Since ace pitcher Cavanaugh transferred from cross-town rival Traverse City West and started wearing the black and gold, she hasn’t lost a game. And Cavanaugh has thrown two perfect games and another no-hitter while picking up strings of innings of no walks and multiple strikeouts.
Cavanaugh, who committed to Oregon, is 11-0 on the season. She has given up just 10 hits and five runs, allowed only one base on balls and fanned 114 in just 50 innings of work. The Trojans’ firepower, meanwhile, shortened most of those games to mercy-rule wins.
This week, the Trojans moved closer to a Big North Conference title with 15-0 and 17-1 victories over Cadillac. Sophomore Julia Brady, who broke the Trojans’ home run record as a freshman last year, led the way belting two home runs in three at bats in both games. Cavanaugh went 5-for-5 at the plate with a double, triple and a home run, and Grace Cary, the team’s catcher heading to play softball next year for Ohio State, was 4-for-5 across the twin bill, also adding a triple and home run.
Cary emphasized the Trojans’ commitment to taking one game at a time as they could inch closer to a conference title Tuesday at Sault Ste. Marie.
“It’s one goal at a time, but it'd be nice to go past Regionals, at least one game, because we've never won Regional Finals,” said Cary. “The BNC would also be nice to have, but I feel like a main goal for us as a team is to win Regionals.”
Regardless of how the season turns out, Cary and Cavanaugh will treasure the moments playing together – something they started doing as 9-year-olds. The incredible pitcher/catcher battery played extensive travel ball together and also apart with different programs.
“The funny thing, too, is Grace started out as a pitcher and Piper started out as a catcher,” pointed out Tiesworth, who fondly recalls watching their early development. “Then they found their strengths. As Piper switched over to pitcher, they started to climb with different travel organizations and getting broader exposure. Growing up together, playing against each other, playing with each other, and then to be reunited for their senior year is special.”
Cavanaugh played at TC West as a freshman and focused on travel ball her sophomore and junior years. Cary played all four years for the Trojans.
“Grace has been here kind of grinding for four years, and she's been in the spotlight for four years,” Tiesworth said. “She's a spicy, fiery, speedy, aggressive bass runner. Grace and Piper have very different personalities, but they add so much together. You can't have a pitcher of that caliber if you don't have a catcher of that caliber – even to warm up Piper for a game.”
Cavanaugh is thrilled to be pitching to her long-time battery mate again.
“I love it,” Cavanaugh said. “I think being able to play this last year with her is just a great way to end our high school years. We’ve gone full circle, now finishing off our senior season together before we all go off to college.”
Cavanaugh, who has been called the best pitcher in the state by opposing coaches, is dominating the high school level after stepping away the last two years. She was immediately eligible to play softball this spring for Central because she did not play the sport at West last season.
“No one has seen Piper pitch in the state of Michigan since she was a freshman,” Tiesworth noted. “And for me, it was just so fun to see her, as a senior now, come back around. Of all the kids I've coached, she's one of the most modest, humble, hardworking, best teammate … this kiddo is the total package.”
Cary noted that the Trojans are putting up plenty of run support and defense behind their pitchers as well.
The Trojans have scored 215 runs over their 19 games so far. Cary is leading the team in batting, hitting almost .600. Cavanaugh at .550 is right behind her.
Brady has eight home runs and is batting near .500. Peterson is next at .457, and the other senior leaders, Tabaczka and Poortenga are hitting above .300.
“We have super strong leadership from these senior athletes,” Tiesworth said. “We’re definitely led by it, and we have four sophomores on the roster that want to follow suit and play college softball.”
The Trojans are 17-2, with the losses coming on doubleheader days when Cavanaugh pitched just one of the two games.
One of the defeats was to West. Cavanaugh tossed a perfect game in the opening 3-0 win, and the second game was called in the seventh inning because lightning as West led 11-9 at the Trojan Athletic Complex.
The Trojans are looking forward to a possible rematch with the Titans in a District pairing. The District will be hosted by West and also includes Alpena and Marquette.
Tom Spencer is a longtime MHSAA-registered basketball and soccer official, and former softball and baseball official, and he also has coached in the northern Lower Peninsula area. He previously has written for the Saginaw News, Bay County Sports Page and Midland Daily News. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Traverse City Central pitcher Piper Cavanaugh, left, and catcher Grace Cary pose for a photo together while making Os for Oregon and Ohio State. (Middle) The Trojans’ dugout celebrates during a game. (Top photo courtesy of Pattersnap. Middle photo by Jan Michael Stump/Traverse City Record-Eagle.)