Sometimes, things actually go true to form.

That has proven to be the case within the county for the high school softball season this spring.

Entering the start of the year, the area teams with the best chance of making a run at a state title were Lakeland and Troy based on their returning experience and talent.

Right on cue, the Eagles and Colts are the only remaining area teams alive for today’s state quarterfinals, and each team is looking for a measure of redemption as they hope to advance to the state semifinals in Battle Creek on Friday.

Troy has lost the last two years in the quarterfinals, but hopes to make amends when it meets New Baltimore Anchor Bay in a 4:30 p.m. Division 1 quarterfinal at Madison Heights Bishop Foley.

Anchor Bay handled Troy well last year in the quarterfinals at Bishop Foley, beating the Colts, 4-1.

Ranked No. 3 in the state, Anchor Bay lost only one senior from that team last year, so Troy knows it will have its hands full.

The Tars are led by junior pitcher Olivia Nicholas, senior infielders Amanda Bigelow and Sam Scott and senior outfielder Miriam McKay.

“We’ll our hands full, but so will they,” Troy head coach Tom Calnen said. “We’ll give it a shot and see what happens. The thing I like about us right now is that there are no distractions. We’re loose and just playing. That’s what you’ve got to do. It’s so hard to get high school kids to do it. I think we’re doing it right now and we’ll show up and give it a whirl.”

No. 10 Troy (32-8) also returns a majority of its team from a year ago, and it hopes it can draw the experience of losing in the quarterfinals two years in a row.

Troy lost to Lakeland in the 2007 quarterfinals at Bishop Foley.

“You’ve got to think about going out there, playing your hardest and leaving it out on the field,” Troy junior ace pitcher Jordan Wheatley said. “I think last year, we didn’t leave it all out on the field against Anchor Bay. This year, we’re going to leave it all out there on the field.”

As for Lakeland, the Eagles will make their fifth consecutive quarterfinal appearance when they take on Portage Central in 3 p.m. game at Chelsea.

Ranked No. 2 in the state, Lakeland (38-1) advanced to the state semifinals in 2005 and the state championship game in 2006 and 2007, but failed to get to Battle Creek last year after falling to Howell in a quarterfinal at Chelsea, 3-0.

However, Lakeland head coach Joe Alsup said redemption for last year won’t be a big motivating factor for his team.

“I don’t think that really enters into it,” Alsup said. “This is our fifth (quarterfinal) and all our seniors have been there. I do think they are less nervous than they have been, more so than other teams. Going in, they just know they’ve got to battle.”

Portage Central (31-10), which is an honorable mention in the state rankings, has an imposing presence on the mound in 6-foot-2 sophomore Becca Shemberger.

“We’re going to be tested,” Alsup said. “They do many of the same things we do. They’re well-disciplined and I’ll be surprised if they make any errors. I just hope we don’t make any errors.”

The winner will play either Hudsonville or Bay City Western in a state semifinal on Friday afternoon in Battle Creek.

The state championship game in Division 1 is slated for 12:30 p.m. on Saturday.

 

Contact Keith Dunlap at keith.dunlap@oakpress.com