Rochester, Troy

Athens softball beats Troy and Adams on its way to first district title since 1997

By Mike Moore
C & G Sports Writer

» click to enlarge « Photo by Mike Moore Lauren Genereau connects on a second-inning single for Athens in a D-1 district final. The Red Hawks won their first district crown since 1997 with a 9-0 victory against Adams. Photo by Mike Moore Lauren Genereau connects on a second-inning single for Athens in a D-1 district final. The Red Hawks won their first district crown since 1997 with a 9-0 victory against Adams.

TROY — For years, Dave Marr has taken his Troy Athens softball team into district play with the hope of an upset.

In 2012, expectations had little to do with luck or magic.

Athens, in the midst of one of the best season’s in program history, rolled to a Division 1 district title June 2 with an impressive 9-0 victory against Rochester Adams in the championship game.

“These kids set this goal back in March, and to go out and actually do it was awesome,” Marr said afterward. His squad beat five-time defending champ Troy High 6-2 in the opener, and the district crown was the first for the program since 1997. “This is a huge deal. Today is a pretty special day.”

Riding the momentum of the Troy win, Athens jumped out early on Adams, scoring four times in the first inning.

That’s all the help Haley Zemmer would need.

The sophomore hurler shut down the Highlanders, allowing just two hits in seven innings while striking out 10.

“And truthfully, she didn’t have her best stuff today,” Marr said. “She was battling. She’s a fighter, and when she had to be tough, she was.”

Athens added two more runs in the fifth inning, one in the sixth and the final two in the top half of the seventh.

Melissa Palmer finished with four hits and an RBI; Amanda Mildfelt had three hits and a pair of RBI.

“They came out, scratched to get a few runs early, and I don’t think we were ever able to recover,” Adams coach Fran Scislowicz said. “We’re such a young team and thrilled to be in this game, but today, Athens was the better team.”

Adams, which beat Auburn Hills Avondale 8-2 in the opener, finished the year 20-19. That record comes after a 5-15 start.

Athens, now 32-6-1, will face White Lake Lakeland in a D-1 regional at Hartland High June 9 at 11 a.m.

“The girls are pumped right now,” Marr said. “They’re looking forward to next week.”
 

You can reach C & G Sports Writer Mike Moore at mmoore@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1038. Follow Mike on Twitter.