Angela Righetti makes a tough grab against the fence during Monday's doubleheader. The catch was the first out of a double play for the Braves, as Righetti also threw out an Oscoda baserunner on the play.
Brent Baker
Jenna Potts connects on an inside-the-park home run in the first game of the Braves' sweep of Oscoda.

OSCODA – May 8, 2006 - The Tawas Area varsity softball team defeated Oscoda in a Northeast Michigan Conference double header on Monday by the score of 11-1 in game one and 14-4 in game two.

In the opener it was Nikki Stein going the distance to pick up the win for Tawas. Stein allowed one unearned run on just one hit. Dana Shugart broke up Stein's no-hitter with a single up the middle in the seventh inning. She struck out eleven and walked three. For Oscoda, Riley Shelton took the loss.

Tawas jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning. Angela Righetti led off with a triple. Jill Fountain followed with a bunt single that scored Righetti. Michelle Revord was safe on a fielder’s choice as Fountain was thrown out at second. Jenna Potts singled, sending Revord to second. Katie LaHaye was safe on a fielder’s choice as Revord was thrown out. Jess Look walked to load the bases before Mollie King delivered a two run single to score Potts and LaHaye.

Tawas benefited from a hit batter and singles by Fountain, Look and Courtney McKenzie as they added four more runs in the fourth. The Braves added a single run in the fifth on a home run by Righetti and three more in the seventh on Righetti's second home run of the game, a three-run inside-the-parker to the center field fence.

Oscoda’s lone run came in the fifth inning. Heather Walker was safe on an error to open the inning. She moved to second on a ground out by Shugart. With two outs Shelton was safe on an error by the Tawas left fielder that allowed Shugart to score.

Leading hitters for Tawas in game one were Righetti with a triple, two home runs and three RBI; Potts with a triple, two singles and three RBI; Fountain with three hits and one RBI; Mollie King with two hits and two RBI; Look with one hit and one RBI; and LaHaye, McKenzie and Lindsey Pearsall with one hit each.

Stein also picked up the win in the second game, allowing four runs on seven hits. She struck out four and walked three. Nicole Kammerer took the loss for Oscoda.

Again, Tawas scored in the top of the first on a triple by Righetti followed Fountain's RBI single. Fountain was sacrificed to second by Revord and scored on two consecutive passed balls to give Tawas the early 2-0 lead.

Two walks, an error and consecutive singles by Fountain, Revord and Potts led to six more runs for Tawas in the second for a 8-0 lead. Tawas added two more runs in the top of the fifth when Raquel Cooper reached base safely on an error after two were out. Righetti walked and consecutive singles by Fountain and Revord produced two more runs to up the lead to 10-0.

Tawas pushed their lead to 12-0 in the fourth as Look singled to open the inning. Mollie King tripled, scoring Look and Whitney Moers followed with a single to score King.

It looked like Tawas was headed to a quick five inning mercy win as the Owls came down to their last out with the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth. But Heather Spenceley ripped a hard ground ball through the hole at second base that went all the way to the fence for an inside the park grand slam home run to make the score 12-4.

Tawas scored the final runs of the game in the top of the sixth after two were out. Cooper singled and Righetti followed with a triple to right. Righetti scored as the relay throw from the outfield resulted in an overthrow, giving Tawas the 14-4 win.

Leading hitters for Tawas in game two were Fountain with three hits and two RBI; Righetti with two hits and three RBI; Revord with two hits and three RBI; Potts with two hits and two RBI; Cooper with two hits; Moers and King with one hit and one RBI each; and Pearsall and LaHaye with one hit each.

With the wins, Tawas improves to 14-11 on the season, 4-4 in the Northeast Michigan Conference, while the Owls dropped to 9-16 (0-6).