By John Raffel
Correspondent
EAST LANSING — Paw Paw’s softball team was hopeful of one more dramatic comeback win when it played Richmond for the Division 3 state championship on June 14 at Michigan State University.
But the Wolves were unable to figure out Richmond pitcher Kate Shuboy and lost 3-0, to end the season at 37-4/
Richmond ended with a 31-7 record and the title trophy.
“I told the girls there was nothing to feel sorry for,” Paw Paw coach Mike Mottl said. “We played a good game. Richmond was a great team and had a great pitcher and had a couple of breaks go their way. Nobody expected us to be here. We were only one of two teams left. Everyone else is home.”
Adrian Nader singled home a run for Richmond in the first inning for a 1-0 lead. And the Blue Devils would add another run in the inning and one in the bottom the sixth. Richmond had eight hits compared to one for Paw Paw.
The Red Wolves had no errors compared to three for Richmond and Paw Paw center field Shella Shaefer made the catch of the game on a running, leaping stab of a well hit line drive to the fence.
But it was not enough for Paw Paw with the only hit coming from Bella Clemons.
Shabby allowed one hit and no runs in seven innings, striking out 10 and walking two.
“She was really good at painting the corners and had good command of her fastball,” Mottl said. “She also had a nice rise ball that didn’t always start high and finish high. She did a phenomenal job. All credit to Richmond.”
Lauren MacKeller took the pitching loss for Paw Paw in six innings, allowing three runs and eight hits, striking out six and walking two.
“All we could ask of our girls was to play competitive, play hard and play the right way,” Mottl said. “That’s exactly what they did and I could not to be prouder.”
Shabby, Kendall Nader and Anna McKienam all had two hits apiece for Richmond.
“There’s nothing more you could ask for as a coach to have a chance,” Mottl said. “The kids worked their tails off. They never let the moment get too big and they never stopped believing.”
There’s no seniors and Paw Paw returns everyone next season.
“We believe in each other like no other,” Shaefer said. “The belief we have in each other goes a long way.”
