Cruz Beson of the Bay City Central baseball team for 2025.

BAY CITY, MI – A look at the high school sports scene in Bay County for May 19, 2025. Bay County coaches are asked to submit results, highlights and comments the night of each event by emailing [email protected].

SOFTBALL: KOTENKO HITS MILESTONE FOR DUKES

Essexville Garber has ruled Bay County with a firm hand.

And the Dukes particularly do well when that hand belongs to Kara Kotenko.

Taking the ball for part of both games, Kotenko led Garber to 11-7 and 18-9 wins over Bay County rival Pinconning, reaching the 500-strikeout mark for her career in the process.

“Kara has been a workhorse and has been put into endless big games against really good teams,” Garber coach Chris Kokaly said. “She has become an excellent big-game pitcher. The bigger the game, the better she usually is.”

Lukas Neering of the Essexville Garber baseball team for 2025.

Kotenko struck out five in the Game 1 win then returned to the circle for five more Ks in a three-inning save in Game 2. The junior now has 505 strikeouts with a full season ahead of her.

Garber (19-12) improved to 41-0 against Bay County foes over the past five seasons with the non-conference sweep. J.J. Shooltz had three hits and four RBIs and joined teammates Kotenko and Grace Zwetzig in belting Game 1 home runs. Zwetzig, Ella Kokaly and Meredith Krauseneck each added two hits. Pinconning got three hits and three RBIs from Leeya Rezler and a home run from Kailee Rugenstein.

Kokaly, Krauseneck and Ava Wagner each ripped four hits in Game 2 while Zwetzig and Kotenko had three apiece to back winning pitcher Delenya Charbonneau. Layla Foco drove in three runs and joined Ella Hunter in hitting home runs for Pinconning (15-18). Emma McQuarter knocked three hits for the Spartans.

Nick Naylor of the John Glenn baseball team for 2025.

SOFTBALL: ALL SAINTS RALLY FALLS SHORT

Bay City All Saints tried to make a dramatic seventh-inning rally, but Peck held on tight en route to a 9-8 and 14-7 sweep in Big Thumb Conference Blue action.

Drew Andrzejewski of the Bay City All Saints baseball team for 2025.

All Saints (12-16, 9-5) trailed 9-5 coming into its final swings in Game 1 but closed to within one on back-to-back RBI doubles from Kellen Proctor and Clara Barrigar. But Peck retired the next three batters to escape. Proctor delivered three hits and Barrigar two RBIs for the Cougars. Marin Proctor struck out 11 from the circle.

Peck’s six-run fifth broke open a tie game in Game 2. All Saints got two RBIs from Barrigar and one apiece from Natalie Huiskens – who was honored as the lone senior on Senior Day – Kara Schular and Sandy Leser.

SOFTBALL: CENTRAL DROPS TWO TO MIDLAND

Bay City Central got the pitching it needed but couldn’t complement it with the bats, falling to Midland 3-1 and 7-1 in Saginaw Valley League action.

Alivia Kukla of the Bay City Central softball team for 2025.

The Wolves (13-15-1, 8-10) got a sparkling four-hitter with 10 strikeouts from Alivia Kukla in the opener. Katelyn Hemingway allowed just five hits and two earned runs in the nightcap.

Midland swiped the first game with a three-run fifth inning. Kallie Kaczmarek led Central with two hits while Kukla and Lauren Barenek tallied the only other hits. Heidi Dahn tallied two hits in Game 2 while Eli Maciejewski and Izabelle Czuba each added one.

BASEBALL: ALL SAINTS STAYS PERFECT IN BTC

Bay City All Saints had a rare close call but stood tall, sweeping Peck 6-0 and 15-0 to remain undefeated in Big Thumb Conference Blue play.

The No. 13-ranked Cougars nursed a tenuous 2-0 lead in the opener until putting a four-spot on the board in the bottom of the sixth. Drew Andrzejewski rose to the occasion, firing a two-hitter with eight strikeouts over six innings and driving in three runs at the plate.

“We really struggled to find some rhythm at the plate, but luckily Drew was dialed in – not only on the mound but at the plate – and put his team on his back,” All Saints coach Brian Good said. “He’s been a workhorse on the mound and has been a tough out all season.”

Jack Wetters drilled a double and a home run and drove in four runs in Game 2. Henry Essex also had two hits and four RBIs in the win while Gavyn Aikens, Dylan Paul and Andrzejewski each collected two hits. Sawyer Eager and Bo Williams had two RBIs apiece for the Cougars (24-3, 16-0). Jeffrey Hartman struck out six in 2.2 innings for the win.

BASEBALL: GLENN GETS NICE SWEEP

Otisville-Lakeville came in with a shining 19-4 record, but John Glenn tacked on two more losses to that slate.

The Bobcats scored 8-1 and 3-1 victories, getting sparkling pitching in the non-conference sweep.

Cameron Burch fired a two-hitter with five strikeouts for Glenn (17-12) in Game 1. Burch, Gunner Mezey, Jayden Brenay and Wyatt Jeske each delivered an RBI single in the victory.

Nick Naylor allowed just one hit while fanning six in Game 2, with Mezey coming on to register the save. Naylor delivered two hits and key RBI at the plate while Hayden Ruff ripped a double and drove in two runs.

BASEBALL: GARBER TOPS No. 3-RANKED TEAM

It was a tale of two games for Essexville Garber in its doubleheader with Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart, the No. 3-ranked team in Division 4.

The Dukes couldn’t find any punch in a 2-1 loss in Game 1 but erupted for a 12-11 victory in Game 2.

Garber (17-10-1) won the nightcap in walk-off fashion as Anthony Solinski’s sacrifice fly brought home Jacob Sheppard with the game-winner, completing a comeback from an 11-3 deficit. Garber turned things around with a seven-run fourth inning. Nolan Collins and Nathan Foret each ripped three hits in the win while Lukas Neering and Sheppard each had two hits and joined Matthew Pawlaczyk and Collins with two RBIs. Colton Jacobs notched the win with two innings of no-hit relief, striking out five.

A two-run second inning held strong for Sacred Heart in the opener. Garber scored one run in its final at-bats on a double by Alex Mularz, but he was stranded on second as the game ended. Dakota Inda and Ryan Brey each had two hits for Garber. Camden Parker threw 4.2 solid innings in the loss.

BASEBALL: BCC IS NO-HIT BY MIDLAND

Bay City Central ran into a pitching buzzsaw, getting blanked by Midland 7-0 and 6-0 without the benefit of a hit in the opener.

Liam Heinz and Wilson Kloha combined to fire the Game 1 no-hitter with 11 strikeouts for Midland. Nick Charbonneau allowed just six hits in the loss for Central.

The Wolves out-hit Midland 5-4 in the second game but couldn’t muster a run. Sebastian McGill knocked two hits for Central and Paulino Perez doubled. Cruz Beson and McGill combined to toss 2.2 innings of hitless relief for the Wolves (5-22, 5-15).

If you would like your local high school sports news delivered free to your inbox daily, click here and sign up for one of our local high school sports newsletters.

Love reading about local sports? Don’t miss any of the excitement from the season ahead. Purchase your subscription now and get full access to every story on MLive!