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CPS, which last week won its first District title since 1994, earned its first Regional victory ever in the semifinal at Coleman High School, edging Arenac-Eastern, 7-6. Overall, the Lady Tigers were 22-13 on the season.

"We have nothing to hang our heads about," remarked Bill Sarkella, CPS coach. "It was an exciting season. If somebody had told me before the season we'd win 22 games, I'd be surprised. I knew we'd be competitive, but I didn't know if we could put that many wins together."

All Saints (36-5), a perennial power, came off an emotional, 1-0, 11 inning triumph over Beal City in the other semifinal and, perhaps, were a little flat in the early innings against CPS. The Lady Tigers, though, did little to hurt themselves either.

"Afterwards, somebody said to me (the other semifinal) might have been an example of the (State) finals. They might be the top two teams in the state," said Sarkella.

"It was 2-0 after four innings," said Sarkella, referring to the Regional title game, "but it was a just a matter of when they would get their bats going. We knew they could hit. They have girls that go to that school so they can go on and play in college."

The Cougars scored a run in the opening inning on a walk and a triple from All-State shortstop Lynsay Weaver. All Saints did score an unearned in the second on a single, a throwing error and a squeeze bunt.

In the fifth, All Saints, which had just three hits in the first four innings, broke it open in the fifth by combining four hits, one CPS error and couple of wild pitches to push the lead to 6-0.

Control problems by tiring CPS star hurler Danielle Karr, plus three more hits, led to the Cougars four runs in the sixth.

"Dani might have been a little tired," said Sarkella, "but the umpire wasn't giving her the corners....you could see there were a lot of close pitches during that series of walks. " He added, "She might have wore down ...it was a long day, but she left it all on the field."

All Saints' sophomore pitcher Louise Resmer held the Lady Tigers to just one hit, a solid single to center from Kelly DeLong. Resmer struck out 14.

In the semis, CPS had just five singles in the contest, but took advantage of four walks, two hit-batters, and four Arenac-Eastern errors.

The two teams exchanged the lead four times in the first six innings. Trailing 4-3, the Lady Tigers came up with four runs in the top of the sixth. Erica Christy's one-out drive in and out of the glove of the Eastern centerfielder scored the first two runs. The next two came in on a wild pitch and an error.

Eastern would not go way, but Karr shut the door on a rally in the bottom of the sixth. After one run had scored and bases were loaded, Karr got the next batter to pop to first base and then struck out the next two.

An error after two outs in the bottom of the seventh kept the game alive for Eastern. A stolen base and a single scored a run to make it 7-6.

DeLong, the right-fielder then preserved the win. When the next Eastern batter hit a ground ball under the glove of CPS first baseman Nycole Promo, DeLong rushed in , picked the ball up and threw the runner out on a bang-bang play.

Sarkella said he did not look at first base on that play. "We were all looking at the player at second and thinking about a play at home. So, that was a little surprise, but (the throw from right to first) that's a play we work on, too."

CPS scored a run in the third on a walk to Jordan Alexander, a bunt single by Christy and an error.

After trailing 2-1, CPS scored twice in the top of the fourth after Paige Chipman reached base on a single and DeLong was hit by a pitch. A sacrifice bunt by Sam McCarty moved the runners and then Emily Kress singled in one run. A wild throw allowed the next run to score.

Karr finished the game by allowing just three hits and striking out eight. The victory gave her the school record for wins in a single season (22) by a Lady Tiger pitcher.