Sam Bellhorn slides home with a run in Pinny's big sixth-inning rally despite a heroic effort by Falcon catcher Jenna Zettel.
Michelle Berdan rounds third base on the way to a 1-0 Falcon lead in the second game of Thursday's doubleheader.
Brent Baker
Candace Sequin won both games Thursday, including an eight-inning one-hitter in which she also drove home the winning runs.

OGEMAW HEIGHTS - May 17, 2007 - In many seasons, NEMC opponents almost take it for granted the Pinconning will win the league softball title.

The Spartans did indeed wrap up their 21st straight title on Thursday with a 2-0 and 11-1 sweep of Ogemaw Heights, but there was nothing easy about either Thursday's games or the latest addition to the Pinny trophy case.

Two weeks ago, the Spartans were in second place after losing to Tawas Area. But by winning their final six league games, Pinny again finished on top, and order has seemingly been restored to the universe.

"Well, I don't know about that," said Pinny coach Tim Hoffman. "I just know I'm glad we're playing better (since the Tawas loss). I thanked them (at a tournament last weekend) for beating us, because it was just what we needed."

Colleen Wren and the Falcons did everything they could in the opener to force Pinny to share that title with Tawas. Wren had a no-hitter going through seven innings and worked out of a two-on, two-out jam in the fourth (due to a walk and an error). Pinny's Candace Sequin was equal to the task, allowing just two baserunners -- a first inning walk and a sixth-inning single to Tiffani Rouse, which meant forcing the game into extra innings.

Pinny broke through in the eighth, with Kelsey Beck singling to end the no-hitter, Alisha Bishop singling with one out, and Sequin driving in both runners with what proved to be a game-winning double.

"Colleen pitched well," said Ogemaw coach Chuck Wren. "We were very happy with that.

"But we feel pretty bad right now. We had one bad inning (in the second game) and lost both. That's kind of been it for us."

The Falcons had a bit more luck with Sequin the second game, particularly in the second when Michelle Berdan doubled and Kelly Rosebrugh ripped another double to drive her home for the Falcons' first run of the day.

Jamie Lucas, recently returned from a bout with mono, was on her game for the first four innings as the Falcons held on to their 1-0 lead. But in the fifth, two errors and a ringing two-run double by Sequin off the top of the center field fence gave Pinny a 3-1 lead. Ogemaw was still in it, but the next inning, an ill-timed error and a spate of Spartan hits, highlighted by doubles from Samantha Bellhorn, Kelsey Bourcier and Ashley Mrosinski, ended the drama with an eight-run outburst and a 10-run lead.

"We hit the ball better in the second game," Wren said. "But we didn't play defense. But we know we can play with them and if we play the way we should we'll see them at districts (in the final)."

Paige Little had three hits for Pinny in the second game, with Bellhorn adding two. Sequin finished with a five-hitter, walking two and fanning eight.

Wren had two hits in the finale.

Pinny wraps up its league season with an 11-1 mark and improved to 20-7 overall, while the Falcons dropped to 9-12 (5-5).