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But they realize it's going to take a great effort to keep it that way at the end of the season.

East Jordan proved that when the Red Devils earned a split of last Monday afternoon's doubleheader on the Blazers' turf.

"It's still ours to win," Kalkaska head coach Rik Ponstein said of the conference title after the Blazers suffered their first league loss of the season in the nightcap.

Kalkaska rallied to break a 1-1 tie with a run in the bottom of the sixth for a 2-1 win in the opener.

The Blazers left the tying run at second base in losing the second game 5-4 and giving the Red Devils life in the conference.

East Jordan came into the doubleheader with two league losses.

A sweep would have given the Blazers a stranglehold on first place, and made them tough to overtake down the stretch.

But the bottom line is the Blazers still have their destiny in their own hands, and if they can win out they'll take the crown.

Marissa Taylor pitched a 3-hitter and struck out 11 in the Blazers' 2-1 opening game win.

Starting catcher Bernadette Gillespie scored the Blazers' first run in the first on a walk, stolen base, sacrifice and passed ball.

East Jordan scored an unearned run in the fourth after a batter reached on an error.

The Blazers got their second run in the fifth when Kristi Peters walked, Janell Slater sacrificed her to second and Jennifer Spann tripled, the first hit off the Red Devils' ace Shaina Peters.

Spann was the pitcher of record in the second game, giving up 5 hits, 4 walks and striking out 6.

Leading hitters were Taylor with 2 hits and 1 run batted in, Katie Krause with 2 hits, Maria Harbour had 1 hit and 1 RBI and Peters drove in a run.

The Blazers swept Traverse City Central 11-5 in 10 innings and 15-4 in a pair of non-conference games last Thursday.

Kalkaska scored 3 runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game and send it into extra innings.

A single up the middle drove in the tying run on a 2-strike pitch with 2 outs.

Taylor pitched all 10 innings and while she gave up 8 hits and 2 walks, she struck out 17. She also had 3 hits and 3 RBIs to lead the Blazers at the plate.

Krause had a pair of hits and 2 RBIs. Kara Ponstein finished with a hit and 2 RBIs. Slater drove in 2 runs and had 1 hit.

Spann threw a 4-hitter in the nightcap, giving up just 2 walks and striking out 10. None of the runs Central scored were earned.

Ponstein had 2 doubles and 5 RBIs, Jones had 2 hits and 2 RBIs and Peters had 2 hits and 3 RBIs. Abby Merrill and Krause also had 2 hits each.

Kalkaska lost the opening game of its tournament on Saturday to Kingsley 9-5 in 7 innings.

The Blazers was behind most of the game, but tied the score 5-5 in the fifth. Harbour was thrown out at the plate trying to score the go-ahead run.

Krause led the Blazers with 3 hits and 2 RBIs and Merrill also had 3 hits. Jones finished with 2 hits and 2 RBIs.

Spann pitched in a 1-hitter as the Blazers shut out Roscommon 5-0 in the consolation game. She struck out 9.

Leading hitters were Gillespie with 2 hits and 1 RBI, Ponstein with 2 hits and 2 RBIs and Taylor had a run batted in.

Kalkaska was 16-3 overall and 7-1 in the conference going into Tuesday's home doubleheader with LMC foe Harbor Springs.

The Blazers are also scheduled to host Traverse City West in a non-league twin bill. Ê