Livonia Churchill softball shows resiliency in win vs. rival Franklin

Things change. Like all the time for the Livonia Churchill softball team, which was forced to face rivals Stevenson and Franklin on back-to-back nights on May 5 and 6 because of weather delays. That’s a big deal because all three entered the week in contention to win not only the City championship but also the Kensington Lakes Activities Association-East title.

Belleville upset Stevenson (13-7, 7-1) early in the season, but the Spartans handed Franklin its first league loss during a 3-0 win on April 22. Then, Stevenson sophomore pitcher Allie Cramer struck out 13 and recorded her 100th strikeout of the season during a 9-2 win over Churchill on May 5. Entering May 6, all three teams had one league loss, making Churchill and Franklin’s matchup almost a do-or-die situation.

A five-run second inning helped the Chargers (14-4, 5-1) beat the Patriots (20-2, 6-2) 7-3, though nothing is safe yet. When the three teams face each other during this weekend’s City tournament, any one of them can walk away with rivalry bragging rights and a lead in the East standings. Stevenson and Churchill, though, hold the edge over Franklin with a one-game advantage.

More: Unproven roster? So what. Livonia Churchill softball should still win “For them to come back today after losing here last night, where everyone is in the same boat, I thought they responded very well,” Chargers coach Abe Vinitski said.