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Leave A Legacy
By Gina Ziel
Leave a Legacy. That was the
challenge presented by Coach Greg
Hudie, to the Millington Cardinals
Softball Team at the onset of their 2019
Season. Despite the team’s enormous
success in 2016, 2017, and 2018, the
loss to Coloma in the State Champion-
ship game last year has been a bit-
ter pill to swallow, but it fueled them.
Three straight appearances in the state
semi-finals, quarter finals, and finals
wasn’t enough for the Cardinals. They
were not even considering giving up
the dream of being Champions, and
it showed. These girls are champions
in every sense of the word. And, on
Saturday, June 15, they proved it to
themselves, their fans, and their com-
munity when they shut-out Schoolcraft,
8-0, in the State Final contest.
Gabbie Sherman started the game
with three quick strike-outs, setting the in a single. She did her job by stealing
tone for the Cardinal’s total defensive
domination. Darrien Roberts sparked
the offensive inferno by blasting the
first Schoolcraft pitch deep over the
centerfield fence, tallying her 18th
home run of the season. That fu-
eled the Cardinals to a 5-0 lead by
the bottom of the first inning, as hits
were added by Leah Denome, Gabbie
Sherman, Sydney Bishop, Madi Hahn,
Sabrina Gates, and Elizabeth Bees.
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Speedsters, Ashley Ziel and Leah Cole-
man were inserted as courtesy runners
to add to the total.
Sherman allowed only one hit in the
second inning, but registered three
more strike-outs, and the Cardinals
were back at the bat. Once again, Leah
Denome registered another hit, and
would end the game having gone four-
for-four. Bishop also singled to center
field. In the third inning, McKenna
Slough beat out an infield single, but
the scoreboard remained quiet through
the third inning.
In the fourth, the Cardinals added
a bit of cushion to their lead, started
by a double from Denome, who was
later driven in on a single from Bishop.
Ziel was entered again as a courtesy
runner after Gabbie Sherman dropped
second, then advancing to third on a
wild pitch. Hannah Rabideau then took
a walk to first base, but continued all
the way to second to put herself into
scoring position. Madi Hahn’s hit then