EAST LANSING — Rudyard pulled off a comeback over No. 1 Holton on Friday in the Div. 4 semifinal to pick up the 9-8 win in nine innings, capped off by a walkoff home run by Morgan Bickel.
Holton held a 7-1 lead after four innings, but Rudyard started to slowly build their way back into the game.
The Bulldogs scored three runs in the fifth off a home run by Paige Postma to make it a 7-4 game.
In the bottom of the seventh, it was now an 8-5 game and Rudyard was down to its final out. With two runners on, Bickel singled to left field to bring in one run, making it a 8-6 game. Next up, Meagan Postma hit it to right field to drive in another run, and the Bulldogs were within one. And then, Karlee Mayer came up with the game-tying hit to right-center field to send the game to extra innings.
The Bulldogs held Holton without a run during the final three innings, and then Bickel’s home run capped off the exciting come back.
They advance to play Unionville-Sebewaing in the Div. 4 state championship on Saturday at 3 p.m. in East Lansing.
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