with gallery: Errors end Milan softball team's season in regional semifinal

The scoreboard didn’t reflect the solid effort from Milan starting pitcher Cheyenne Brierley. In her last game for the Big Reds, Brierly pitched a complete game and at times mowed through the Tecumseh lineup. The errors kept her on the mound longer than she should have been.

“She pitched very well. As a team we have to back up our pitchers and we some errors where there should have been some outs,” Milan coach Stacy Heams said. “When we don’t come up with the plays, it makes it harder on them.”

Milan jumped out to a 2-0 lead with the help of two Tecumseh errors, but couldn’t keep the momentum going.

“I thought our bats were really going, we had some nice hits. But putting them together and getting them to go in a row, just didn’t happen,” Milan coach Stacy Heams said.

Hannah Rukkila had the only RBI of the day for Milan, a double in the fourth inning. The rest of the Big Reds' runs came off throwing errors by Tecumseh. (Boxscore | Division 2 bracket)

Brierley came into the contest battling injuries to her right pitching arm and left ankle.

“I just tried giving it my all out there and tried to give it my best,” Brierley said, adding she may have surgery on her arm.

After losing a majority of their starters from last year’s state runner-up team, the Big Reds won a third straight district title.

“We had a lot of younger kids we brought up that haven’t played varsity,” Heams said. “It was a big adjustment. I think they started to believe that they could do it and they weren’t comparing themselves to last year’s team.”

Even though this team didn’t reach the success of last year, Brierley was happy with the way her teammates came together.

“We were the underdogs. No one believed in us and thought that we were going to make it this far,” Brierley said. “I’m really proud of all of them for making it this far. They gave it their all.”

Tecumseh lost to Flat Rock, 7-6, in the championship game.