McKinley Portice goes the distance on the mound, pitching the entire game for the 10-4 win for the Pirates against St. Ignace. The Rudyard Bulldogs defended their Division 4 district championship after senior Craig Wallis pitched a no-hitter during a 10-0 win over Pickford-Cedarville Pirates in St. Ignace Monday, June 2.

Wallis, who was selected to the prestigious Michigan High School All-Star team, which will be played at Comerica Park in Comstock Park later this month, recorded 17 strikeouts and allowed just four Pirates to reach base on walks.

The Bulldogs scored one run in the first inning, added three in the second, three in the fourth, and closed out the game with three runs in the seventh inning.

Rudyard, 23-7-1, advanced to the Division 4 regionals at Johannesburg-Lewiston and battled Harbor Light Christian in the opener Saturday, June 7, while the host Cardinals and Hillman faced off in the nightcap.

Bulldogs statistics vs. Pickford-Cedarville: Craig Wallis, three hits, three RBIs; Paul DeWeese, one hit, one RBI, one run; Josh McCollum, two hits, one RBI, one run; James Perry, two hits, one RBI, one run; Pete Lawlor, one hit, one run; Ben Harter, one hit, Scott Coffey, Brett VanSloten, Drew Salo, one run.

Shawn Cowell Pirates Down Saints

in Semifinals

Pickford-Cedarville defeated St. Ignace 10-4 for the team's first district win in the Pirates' program Monday, June 5. This is the third year for the co-op program.

McKinley Portice earned the win, pitching the entire game for the Pirates.

Pirates statistics vs. St Ignace: Paul Eberts, three hits, three runs; Andrew Figures, two hits; Taylor Smith, McKinley Portice, one hit; Dylan Rye, three runs.

Saints statistics vs. Pickford- Cedarville: Gerrit Mortensen, Austin St. Louis, one hit.

Craig Wallis Selected Top

Player In SAC Baseball

Senior Craig Wallis of Rudyard was selected the Player of the Year in the Straits Area Conference (SAC) for baseball by the coaches after leading the Bulldogs to a first place finish in the league, with an 8-2 record. The team posted an overall record of 11-1.

Joining Wallis on the first team were Pete Lawlor, James Perry, and Paul DeWeese of Rudyard, David Hill and Pete Formolo of Sault Ste. Marie, Bret Karsten, Scott Kowalewsky, John Rhode, and Jordan Temple of Rogers City, and Zac Sorelle of Newberry.

Josh McCollum of Rudyard has been named to the second team, while Josh LaCoursiere of Rudyard and James Peterson, Andy Tamlyn, and Rob Robinson of St. Ignace received honorable mention.

The final standings in the SAC, following Rudyard, were Sault Ste. Marie at 7-3, Cheboygan 6-4, Rogers City 6-4, St. Ignace 2-8, and Newberry 1-9.

All-SAC Softball Team

The coaches from the Straits Area Conference announced the all-league softball team for the 2008 season.

Sara Dotski of Cheboygan and Jenny Flemming of Rogers City shared Player of the Year honors.

Chelsea Mesnard of Rudyard was named to the first team, while Marcie Rickley of St. Ignace, and Emily Jeffreys, Destiny Chontos, and Erin Watson, all of Rudyard, received second team honors. Receiving honorable mention were St. Ignace's Ashly Peterson, Alyssa Pechta, and Dana Schieding, and Leah Wallis of Rudyard.