EAST LANSING, Mich. – Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central’s reign in Michigan Division 3 softball continued Saturday evening as the players rushed to beat a severe thunderstorm rolling in.
As thunder rumbled overhead and rain began to fall in the bottom of the seventh inning, SMCC closed down Napoleon in route to a 13-1 victory and its third consecutive state title.
Well, pitcher Meghan Beaubien closed down Napoleon (36-5) to be more specific. The senior, headed to play softball at Michigan, struck out 16 but gave up her only run in the last three state finals games. Last year, she threw a perfect game in the final.
Beaubein capped a week in which she was named to the American Family Insurance ALL-USA High School Softball Second Team.
SMCC scored six runs in the third inning, three in the fourth, another run in the fifth and three more in the seventh. By then, fans looking skyward were not thinking about more offense. The weather threat was serious enough that the postgame awards ceremony was quickly moved to nearby Jenison Field House.
Beaubien also led SMCC (27-3) the team in hits with three in three at bats, driving in two runs. Kelsey Barron, who scored three runs, Danielle Michael and Grace Mikesell also drove in two runs apiece.