In a road doubleheader sweep of the Houghton Gremlins on Thursday, the Bulldogs committed few mistakes despite the prospect of rain and an unpredictable wind.
Gremlins coach Melissa Baker thought her squad did enough to win the opener 3-1 and the nightcap 7-3. She confessed that the battle was so close that it might have gone any way.
“It’s ups and downs,” she remarked. “One or two more errors on our side, and it might have been different. If we made two mistakes, they may have won.
“These two wins were huge. Hancock is a conference powerhouse. It was nice to see everyone working hard. The game was entertaining.”
The Gremlins gained confidence after beating Hancock twice before the WestPAC Tournament on Saturday.
Baker said it boosts confidence. “It’ll give some varsity girls confidence going into the weekend.”
The Gremlins scored three runs in the first inning.
Aydra Williamson started proceedings by grounding to Hancock’s Kaisa Salani at short. Fayah Zapolnik walked. Katy Fay then doubled to center field, loading the bases for Delaney Salmi.
Salmi drove in Williamson and Zapolnik with a grounder to right field that Hancock’s Josie Hembroff mishandled. Hembroff threw Fay out at home as Salmi rounded second and went for third, but Salmi gained third. Houghton went ahead 3-0 after Clea Ollanketo singled in Salmi.
Misplay cost.
“They had a few more hits and we made a few more field errors,” said Bulldogs assistant coach Craig Biekkola. “They played clean in the field in the end, (scored) a couple of runs here and there, and that was the difference in both games.”
Hancock’s Sadie Biekkola stopped the Gremlins’ onslaught. In the contes, she struck out three and allowed eight hits on 115 pitches.
Baker believed her batters were familiar with Sadie Biekkola, which helped them win both games.
When Megan Pelto reached on an error by Estella Soumis with one out in the sixth, the Bulldogs finally got to Gremlins pitcher Grace Brunet. Pelto scored when Ellie Heinonen grounded out to third and was thrown out. Ending the inning, Sydnie Scholie struck out.
Brunet pitched seven innings, striking out six and allowing three hits. She struck out six in the nightcap with 143 pitches.
Baker stated Brunet gave 110% tonight. “She worked all offseason to perfect her pitching, and it showed tonight.”
Brunet’s 2-for-4 nightcap aided her.
Ollanketo’s mistake started the Gremlins’ second game. She stole second and third on successive pitches. Soumis walked, placing runners on corners. Ollanketo stole home when Brunet batted.
Pelto walked as Hancock answered in the second. Ellie Heinonen walked. Scholie reached on a right field error after a line drive. Pelto scored. Ella Storm bunted Heinonen home.
Houghton answered swiftly in the third. Salmi erred. Ollanketo singled on a dropped pop fly. Runners progressed. Brynn Arko grounded to second and reached on an error. Salmi tied the game and Ollanketo scored to give Houghton the lead. Soumis walked.
Houghton led 4-2 when Arko stole home with Lexi Burns at the plate. Williamson’s left-field line drive scored Soumis.
Houghton led 4–0 when Ollanketo sneaked home in the fourth.
In the fifth, Sofie Freeman’s right-field hit brought the Bulldogs back. She scored after a defensive mistake.
Soumis got the Bulldogs’ run back after a defensive blunder. The Gremlins scored four runs when she stole home with Lexi Burns at the plate.
Sadie Biekkola singled in the seventh. Pelto reached first after she was thrown out in a fielder’s choice. Ellie Heionen struck out and Scholie lined out to right field to conclude the game.
Softball instructor Randy Heinonen emphasizes basics. His squad practices them daily.
In a road doubleheader sweep of the Houghton Gremlins on Thursday, the Bulldogs committed few mistakes despite the prospect of rain and an unpredictable wind.
Gremlins coach Melissa Baker thought her squad did enough to win the opener 3-1 and the nightcap 7-3. She confessed that the battle was so close that it might have gone any way.
“It’s ups and downs,” she remarked. “One or two more errors on our side, and it might have been different. If we made two mistakes, they may have won.
“These two wins were huge. Hancock is a conference powerhouse. It was nice to see everyone working hard. The game was entertaining.”
The Gremlins gained confidence after beating Hancock twice before the WestPAC Tournament on Saturday.
Baker said it boosts confidence. “It’ll give some varsity girls confidence going into the weekend.”
The Gremlins scored three runs in the first inning.
Aydra Williamson started proceedings by grounding to Hancock’s Kaisa Salani at short. Fayah Zapolnik walked. Katy Fay then doubled to center field, loading the bases for Delaney Salmi.
Salmi drove in Williamson and Zapolnik with a grounder to right field that Hancock’s Josie Hembroff mishandled. Hembroff threw Fay out at home as Salmi rounded second and went for third, but Salmi gained third. Houghton went ahead 3-0 after Clea Ollanketo singled in Salmi.
Misplay cost.
“They had a few more hits and we made a few more field errors,” said Bulldogs assistant coach Craig Biekkola. “They played clean in the field in the end, (scored) a couple of runs here and there, and that was the difference in both games.”
Hancock’s Sadie Biekkola stopped the Gremlins’ onslaught. In the contes, she struck out three and allowed eight hits on 115 pitches.
Baker believed her batters were familiar with Sadie Biekkola, which helped them win both games.
When Megan Pelto reached on an error by Estella Soumis with one out in the sixth, the Bulldogs finally got to Gremlins pitcher Grace Brunet. Pelto scored when Ellie Heinonen grounded out to third and was thrown out. Ending the inning, Sydnie Scholie struck out.
Brunet pitched seven innings, striking out six and allowing three hits. She struck out six in the nightcap with 143 pitches.
Baker stated Brunet gave 110% tonight. “She worked all offseason to perfect her pitching, and it showed tonight.”
Brunet’s 2-for-4 nightcap aided her.
Ollanketo’s mistake started the Gremlins’ second game. She stole second and third on successive pitches. Soumis walked, placing runners on corners. Ollanketo stole home when Brunet batted.
Pelto walked as Hancock answered in the second. Ellie Heinonen walked. Scholie reached on a right field error after a line drive. Pelto scored. Ella Storm bunted Heinonen home.
Houghton answered swiftly in the third. Salmi erred. Ollanketo singled on a dropped pop fly. Runners progressed. Brynn Arko grounded to second and reached on an error. Salmi tied the game and Ollanketo scored to give Houghton the lead. Soumis walked.
Houghton led 4-2 when Arko stole home with Lexi Burns at the plate. Williamson’s left-field line drive scored Soumis.
Houghton led 4–0 when Ollanketo sneaked home in the fourth.
In the fifth, Sofie Freeman’s right-field hit brought the Bulldogs back. She scored after a defensive mistake.
Soumis got the Bulldogs’ run back after a defensive blunder. The Gremlins scored four runs when she stole home with Lexi Burns at the plate.
Sadie Biekkola singled in the seventh. Pelto reached first after she was thrown out in a fielder’s choice. Ellie Heionen struck out and Scholie lined out to right field to conclude the game.