By Chad Wingert (Contact / Staff Bio)

Originally published June 9, 2009, 07:00 p.m. EST. Updated June 9, 2009, 07:00 p.m. EST

REESE — The Reese softball team is gearing up for an interesting matchup with neighbor Frankenmuth, after the Rockets captured a Regional title by defeating Shepherd, 14-0.

Reese (40-1) faced the Eagles eariler this season, but Rockets head coach Andy Behmlander says, that dosen’t matter.

“We played Frankenmuth so early in the season, you can throw those games out the window,” Behmlander said. “However, it was definetly a battle. They made it tough on us the first time around.”

Reese swept Frankenmuth, 3-0 and 1-0, the first time around but with the hot play of the Eagles, who took home their first Regional title since 1999, anything is possible. Behmlander knows that everyone this deep into the postseason wants to make it to the State Finals, but it’s important that the Rockets first take care of the task at hand.

“Frankenmuth is as far as we are looking. As a team, we don’t even talk about anything further than that,” Behmlander said. “It’s very important that we take this one game at a time. We have our work cut out for us with Frankenmuth.”

Reese pitcher Abbey Harrington has continued to lead this Reese team from both sides of the field. In Regional play, Harrington (29-1) struck out 28 batters without walking one and allowed only six hits through 12 innings of work.

In the title game, Harrington had two hits and an RBI but it was Jillian Gerow and Kaitlyn Squanda who came up big for the Rockets against the Blue Jays.

Gerow led Reese with four RBI on two hits while Squanda tallied two hits, including a double, driving in three runs.

Kayla Sahr scored three runs on two hits and Jamie Humpert added a pair of hits and two RBI.

In Saturday’s opener, Reese topped Coleman 5-0 after watching Shepherd and Valley Lutheran battle it out for 14 innings.

Harrington’s pair of doubles and two RBI led the Rocket’s at the plate while Solgat, Gerow and Squanda each added a hit. Alex Toma gathered two hits.

The winner of Tuesday's game betwen Reese and Frankenmuth advances to Friday's semifinal game at Battle Creek's Flannery Complex.