EAST TAWAS – July 1, 2005 - West Branch’s Major League softball team took a pair of mercy victories in pool play last week to advance to a District 8 semifinal contest in Boyne City on July 5.

West Branch took a harder-than-it-looked 19-9 victory over Huron East (Tawas and Oscoda) and rolled past Manistee 40-12.

West Branch trailed Huron East 3-2 in the third inning before Huron East pitcher Deanna Kolnitys injured her throwing arm while making a defensive play. West Branch took a 4-3 lead but allowed five runs in the fourth to fall behind 8-4.

But with Huron East short on pitching after having played the night before, West Branch benefited from 10 walks and one hit batter to score 12 runs in the bottom of the fourth, then added three more in the fifth to end the game via the 10-run rule. Jorie Lucas scored from third base for the game’s final run, tagging up from third and scoring after an infield pop-up.

Lucas, who was the winning pitcher, had the game’s biggest hit, a first-inning double to the left field fence that drove in two runs. Lucas also had a hit in the 12-run fourth, while Meckenzie Diehl, and Annie Sheltrown had West Branch’s other two hits.

If West Branch wins its semifinal contest, it plays for the District 8 title on Thursday, July 7 in Boyne City at 7 p.m.