Jacks Lose Slugfest in Doubleheader Sweep
GADSDEN, Ala. — February 15, 2026
The Alpena Community College softball team capped a difficult opening weekend with a doubleheader sweep at the hands of Gadsden State Community College on Sunday, falling 21-7 and 8-0 in five-inning run-rule games to fall to 0-4 on the season. Despite the results, the opener provided a glimpse of what the Lumberjack offense is capable of, with several players putting together strong individual performances against a deep Cardinals squad.
Game One was a wild, high-scoring affair — and while the final score wasn't what the Lumberjacks wanted, there was genuine offensive life on display. ACC matched Gadsden punch-for-punch in stretches, scoring in three of four innings and putting together 11 hits against a Cardinals pitching staff that wasn't easy to solve.
Kirsten Neubecker was the offensive standout of the doubleheader. In Game One alone, she went 3-for-3 with three doubles and two RBI, driving the ball with authority all game. She scored twice and was a consistent threat every time she stepped to the plate — a performance that should have the Lumberjack coaching staff excited about what's ahead.
Alaina Neubecker added a triple and an RBI, while Jenna Sircely went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Dakota Rachow reached base twice and scored, and Rilee Tracy added an RBI single. Reagan Sides also contributed a hit. The Lumberjacks' 11-hit effort showed they can put together a full offensive lineup when things are clicking.
The challenge was keeping Gadsden State in check on the other side. The Cardinals erupted for 11 runs in the first inning alone and never looked back, scoring 21 runs on 17 hits and eventually ending the game via run rule after five innings. Allison Whitaker started in the circle and Jordan Ashley relieved, with both pitchers facing a potent Gadsden lineup that found a way to make contact all afternoon.
The nightcap was a tighter, more pitcher-friendly game — but the results still didn't go Alpena's way. Jenna Sircely made her first start in the circle for the Lumberjacks and gave her team four innings of work, allowing Gadsden State to score in three of those innings before the Cardinals secured the 8-0 victory via run rule.
Offensively, the Lumberjacks were held to five hits by Gadsden starters Arnold and Phillips. Kirsten Neubecker led the way again with a double, and Ashley, Ava Rospierski, Rachow, and Maggie Sandoval each added a single. The Lumberjacks put runners on base and had their chances — leaving five on base through five innings — but couldn't push anyone across against strong Cardinal pitching.
Four errors in the field proved costly, allowing several unearned runs to cross in a game that could have been much closer.
It was a tough weekend across the board for Lumberjack athletics in Gadsden, but the softball team showed real offensive potential — particularly from the Neubecker cousins and Sircely — that will be a foundation to build on as the season progresses. Getting 11 hits against a Cardinals squad that went 8-2 on the season entering Sunday is no small thing.
The Lumberjacks, now 0-4, will look to pick up their first win of the season when they travel to face the Snead State Parsons (4-3) in a doubleheader on Monday, February 16 in Boaz, Alabama.