As it turned out, Grand Haven handed the Reeths-Puffer softball team its first and last losses of the season.
Back on April 17, the pesky Buccaneers came to life in the second game of a doubleheader and beat R-P 9-1 in an unexpectedly one-sided contest.
That left Reeths-Puffer with a 4-1 record at the time, and nobody was very worried about it.
R-P's Kenzie Jacobs stretches to try to tag the runner.
But the two teams matched up again on Saturday morning in a far more important game, and Grand Haven threw a fork in the works again.
The Bucs used two big hits and a great pitching performance to stun the Rockets 5-0 in the opening round of the Division 1 district tournament at R-P.
For Grand Haven, the victory provided a bit of revenge after R-P eliminated the Bucs in the district finals last year.
For the Rockets, the loss brought a sudden end to a hopeful season. They finished with a good 22-11 record and repeated as champions of the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association Tournament, but did not repeat as conference or district champions, which were two big goals.
R-P's Brook Buchan takes a big cut at a pitch.
It was a tough break for a team that was hoping to make another trip to Division 1 regionals next week and advance farther than last year.
"Your season is going to end at some point, but I don't think anybody expected it to end today." said R-P head coach Sarah Bayle. "I am frustrated with the outcome, but the girls played hard and they wanted it. You could see it in their faces and tears after the game, especially the five seniors."
Grand Haven took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Mya Deaton drew a bases-loaded walk to drive in a run.
R-P pitcher Lainey McDaniel fields a grounder.
The Buccaneers could have added to the lead when they had a runner on second and two outs in the third inning. Clare Sova hit a liner to right-center field that looked like it would drop for an RBI hit, but R-P right fielder Olivia Ambler sprawled and made a great diving catch to keep it a 1-0 game.
Grand Haven extended its lead in the fifth inning when Hailey Alsip led off with a bunt single, then Bri Borgman blasted a two-run homer over the center field fence to make the score 3-0.
Borgman struck again in the sixth inning, delivering a two-run double to give the Buccaneers their final runs.
The Rockets never got going offensively, managing only one hit, a bunt single by Ambler in the fifth inning.
The Rockets cheer on their teammates from the dugout.
R-P's offensive troubles had a lot to do with Grand Haven pitcher Lorelei Chciuk, who struck out eight while only allowing the one hit and two walks.
"I thought overall, she got in a rhythm," Bayle said about the Grand Haven pitcher. "We talked every inning about breaking that rhythm. When Olivia got that bunt down with no outs in the fifth inning, I thought maybe we could get something going, but we just didn't have any answers."
Lainey McDaniel pitched for the Rockets, scattering six hits and six walks with nine strikeouts.