By John Raffel
Correspondent
CHEBOYGAN — It was a nailbiter between the top two-ranked Division 3 teams in the state, Clare, No. 1, and Gladstone No. 2, on Tuesday in Cheboygan for the quarterfinal round.
Clare (38-2) prevailed 1-0 against the Upper Peninsula power Gladstone for the right to make it to the semifinal round game.
The Pioneers will be at Michigan State University for the second right year and are slated to face No. 4-ranked Ravenna (34-4) in the semifinal round at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Ravenna beat Buchanan 10-0 in another quarterfinal game on Tuesday.
The other state semifinal bracket has No. 6-ranked Grass Lake (17-2) facing Algonac (16-13) at 3 p.m. The state title game is 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. In event of rain messing up the MHSA schedule, games could be finished up on Sunday.
Gladstone ended its season at 31-5.
Clare took the leading the bottom of the fifth on Addison McMillan’s RBI double.
Kyley Wyman was the winning pitcher for Clare going seven innings, allowing three hits and no runs, striking out eight and walking three. Tia Schone pitched for Gladstone, allowing one run on four hits, striking out nine and walking there.
Alissa Brandon had two hits in three at bats for Clare.
In the top of the sixth, Gladstone had the potential tying run on second with one out but the runner was thrown out at third base.
