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Which only made the Kalkaska girls softball team's sweep of last Friday afternoon's Lake Michigan Conference doubleheader even more special.

Chasing a league title, and their fifth straight district championship, the Blazers held off Charlevoix in a pair of one-run games, 1-0 and 2-1.

Coach Rik Ponstein didn't have a peaceful moment throughout the afternoon with the outcomes in doubt until the final outs were recorded.

But the Blazers made sure that they sent a clear message to the rest of the conference that they're on a mission this spring.

Especially the seniors on the team.

Ponstein knew from the start of practice that the Blazers had the makings of a good team with so many experienced players coming back.

That experience is turning up big already.

Kalkaska improved its record to 6-1 overall and 4-0 in the LMC after its sweep of a Charlevoix team that has designs of its own on winning the title.

Senior pitcher Marissa Taylor struck out 9 batters in the first game, allowing Charlevoix only 1 hit.

Bernadette Gillespie, the other half of Kalkaska's battery at catcher, scored the Blazers' only run in the opener.

Charlevoix gave the Blazers an assist, though, when the Rayders misplayed Kara Ponstein's hit which enabled Gillespie to score.

Kalkaska took a 2-o lead in the second inning of game two with Janelle Slater driving in both Taylor and Jennifer Spann with a single.

The Rayders scored their only run in the fourth, but they were shut down the rest of the way by Spann.

Spann also gave up just 1 hit, and finished with 4 strikeouts and no walks. Taylor had 2 hits to lead Kalkaska.

"Great pitching and great defense have carried us through these first games," coach Ponstein said.

"Our experience has helped us in close games."

Earlier last week, the Blazers split a doubleheader with Petoskey, losing 2-0 and winning 8-7.

Taylor lost the opener, giving up 5 hits, 2 walks and striking out 7. Spann had the Blazers' only hit of the game.

Spann was the winner in the second game. Petoskey had 9 hits and 3 walks. Spann struck out 3.

Ponstein had 2 hits and 2 runs batted in, while Kaiti Jones stroke out 2 hits, a double and an inside-the-park home run for 3 runs batted in.

Kalkaska then swept Elk Rapids on the road, 6-2 and 8-0 last Tuesday.

Taylor got the win in the first game. She struck out 5 and gave up 4 hits. She had a double that drove in 2 runs. Jones had 2 hits, and Kristi Peters also had a hit and 1 run batted in.

Spann was the winner in game two, giving up 4 hits, striking out 5 and walking 2.

Jones had 3 hits, with 2 triples, and 2 runs batted in. Abby Merrill had a hit and 2 runs batted in and Ponstein had a hit and 1 run batted in.

Kalkaska played at Boyne City on Tuesday in a big LMC doubleheader.