There’s an old saying that, “W
hen the going gets tough, the tough get going.” It was appropriate for the Wayland softball team Saturday when they came from behind to take a 4-2 triumph over Zeeland West in the regional finals at Hope College.
The victory enables the Lady Wildcats to take the next step at 4 p.m. Tuesday in the state quarterfinals, also at Hope College, against St. Joseph. It was their eighth regional championship.
The winner of Tuesday’s quarterfinal matchup will play against either St. Clair or Center Line in the semifinals at 12:30 p.m. Thursday at Michigan State University.
Coach Cheri Ritz’s ballclub was down to its last three outs before erupting for four runs in the top of the seventh to erase a 2-0 deficit. The ‘Cats were working on a string of 13 consecutive innings without scoring on Dux ace pitcher Morgan Engelsman, who blanked them on April 18 in the finals of the Whitehall tournament.
Zeeland West broke a scoreless tie with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, no small feat against Wildcat all-state ace hurler Mallory Teunissen, who entered regional play with a near spotless 0.15 earned run average and who had shut out Middleville Thornapple Kellogg, Hamilton and Spring Lake earlier in the post-season tournament. Teunissen struck out 19 Dux batters.
Shortstop Hailey Houck belted a triple with two aboard and two out in the top of the seventh and then came in to score on an errant throw. C.J. Miller had singled in the first run earlier in the inning.
Wayland softball team defeated Spring Lake 8-0 in the regional semifinal game to advance to the regional finals against Zeeland West.
The Lady Wildcats jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first innings, with senior second sacker C.J. Miller clubbing a three-run homer and freshman Abby Merice contributing a double. The ‘Cats, behind the customary shutout pitching Teunissen, cruised the rest of the way. Teunissen finished with a no-hitter, yielding one walk and striking out 14.
The victories lifted the Lady Wildcats’ season record to 33-2 and they 
finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in the state in Division 2.
The Dux beat Forest Hills Eastern 7-5 in the other semifinal Saturday and finished their season with a 31-6 record.
Spring Lake ended its most successful softball campaign ever at 28-6 overall.
PHOTO: This is the Lady Wildcats having a little fun celebrating their district championship at Hopkins on Monday, June 1.
High five abounded Saturday after Wayland came from behind to beat Zeeland West 4-2 in the regional finals. (Photos courtesy David Merice)
