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MCP/OCP Sports Coverage is presented by: Baker Ford Ludington, Fresh Coast Foam, Mission Graphics, Quick-Way, Inc., Smith & Eddy Insurance and Michelle and Andrew Thomas.
REED CITY — The Ludington Orioles varsity softball team split a pair of games Saturday at the Reed City Crossroads Invitational, defeating Reed City 7-6 before falling to Kalkaska 13-8 in the championship game.
Ludington rallied for the opening-game victory behind a complete-game effort from Madison VanSickle, who pitched all six innings before the contest ended because of the time limit. VanSickle allowed four hits and three walks while striking out three.
Offensively, Annika Heemstra went 1-for-3 with a triple, while Jacee Cole and Eva Flores each doubled. Madelyn Kenyon, Noelle Brooks and VanSickle each added a hit for the Orioles.
In the championship game, Ludington battled back several times before Kalkaska pulled away late.
Heemstra started in the circle and pitched 2 1/3 innings, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out six. She also hit four batters. VanSickle worked the final 3 2/3 innings, surrendering 10 hits and two walks while recording five strikeouts.
Cole led the Orioles offensively with a three-run home run and three RBIs while going 1-for-5. Heemstra had a strong game at the plate, finishing 4-for-5 with a double and two RBIs. VanSickle went 3-for-3, Kenyon tripled and drove in a run, and Brooks doubled and added an RBI.
Ludington coach Sierra Holmes said she was pleased with the way her team competed throughout the day.
“The girls played hard today,” Holmes said. “They looked a bit sluggish in the first inning of the first game, but they worked through it quickly and competed hard to get the come-from-behind win.
“The championship game was back and forth several times. Kalkaska got the early lead, then we came back and took it, then they went ahead again, then we tied it, and it continued like that for much of the game. Kalkaska scored three in the fifth and four in the sixth to break it open. Even then, we had three hits and scored a run in the top of the seventh and had two runners on base when the game ended. The girls kept battling. We were very proud of how they competed.”
Ludington is now 12-18 overall and 4-4 in the West Michigan Conference Lakes Division.
MCP/OCP Sports Coverage is presented by: Baker Ford Ludington, 3045 W. US 10-31, Ludington, 888-856-9116, bakerfordludington.com Fresh Coast Foam, 7440 W. 5 Mile Rd., Irons; 231-510-9513, www.freshcoastfoam.com Mission Graphics, 113 S. Blaine St., Scottville, 231-845-7030, mymission.graphics Quick-Way, Inc., 1004 Conrad Industrial Dr., Ludington, 231-845-6520, qkwa.net Smith & Eddy Insurance, serving west Michigan since 1902, 231-757-4743, smith-eddy.com Michelle and Andrew Thomas ___________________________________ Please consider making a one-time contribution to help support MCP. Please Support Local News and Sports Coverage Receive daily MCP and OCP news briefings along with email news alerts for $10 a month. Your contribution will help us to continue to provide you with free local news. To sign up, email editor@mediagroup31.com. In the subject line write: Subscription. Please supply your name, email address, mailing address, and phone number (indicate cell phone). We will not share your information with any outside sources. For more than one email address in a household, the cost is $15 per month per email address. We can send you an invoice for a yearly payment of $120, which you can conveniently pay online or by check. If you are interested in this method, please email editor@mediagroup31.com and we can sign you up. You can also mail a yearly check for $120 to Media Group 31, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454 (please include your email address). Payment must be made in advance prior to subscription activation. We appreciate all our readers regardless of whether they choose to continue to access our service for free or with a monthly financial support. _____ This story and original photography are copyrighted © 2026, all rights reserved by Media Group 31, LLC, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454. No portion of this story or images may be reproduced in any way, including print or broadcast, without expressed written consent.Thank you to the following businesses who make reporting of local sports, like this story, possible:
