Two-run seventh pushes Norway past Niagara

Niagara first baseman Alivia Kleikamp (12) waits on a throw as Norway’s Kara Stanchina (25) tries to get to first base on Friday in Niagara, Wis. (Sean Chase/Daily News photo)

NIAGARA, Wis. — Sophomore Kara Stanchina was dominant in the circle for the Norway varsity softball team as it picked up a 4-2 win over Niagara on Friday in Niagara, Wis.

“Their pitcher did well,” Norway head coach Bob “Kuba” Bal said. “We didn’t really get many hits. But the bottom of the order kind of helped out in that game. That’s what you need to be a good team. You need not just the top of the order hitting, you need everyone hitting.”

Stanchina pitched a complete game for the Knights, striking out 10 and allowing two earned runs.

“Every umpire has a little different zone, and Kara was struggling to find it,” Bal said. “She just kept working at it, kept her composure and made the plays when they counted.”

Elesia Sweig started the game for the Badgers. She was dominant as well, recording four strikeouts in seven innings of work.

Norway catcher Anna Debidart looks down to third base on Friday during a game against Niagara in Niagara, Wis. (Sean Chase/Daily News photo)

After retiring the Knights in order, Niagara went right to work in the bottom of the first. Aiva Champeau kicked things off with a two-out double to left field. Emma Broullire followed that with a triple to left that scored Champeau and the Badgers led, 1-0.

After three innings without seeing a run cross home plate, Norway found its rhythm in the top of the fourth. Victoria Cooper started the inning with a double. Emma Dube was next to the dish. She grounded out, but Cooper was able to advance to third base.

Payton Paquette brought Cooper home with a single and it was tied at one.

Niagara would respond in the next half inning on a Grace Payette walk that scored Alyssa Hedmark. The Badgers led 2-1.

The lead didn’t last long, though, and the Knights tied things at two on a sacrifice bunt from Olivia Kraemer that brought Anna Debidart home.

The Norway and Niagara varsity softball teams faced off in Niagara, Wis. on Friday. The Knights rallied in the seventh inning to pick up the 4-2 win. (Sean Chase/Daily News photo)

Neither team could gain an advantage down the stretch as extra innings loomed overhead. However, in the top of the seventh, Norway found a way to score runs.

Tessa Castalez started the frame with a double to left. Kaylee Baldwin brought Castalez home with a double of her own and the Knights held a 3-2 advantage. Baldwin would score on a Niagara error and the lead was up to two runs.

“They are seven and eight in the order and that was huge,” Bal said. “And then (Baldwin), instinctively, she gets to third and they overthrow the pitcher and she gets home on that.

“Really, she scored an extra run on very little.”

The Badgers brought four batters to the plate in the bottom of the inning. But they couldn’t find an answer for Stanchina’s pitches and Norway picked up the win.

The Norway and Niagara varsity softball teams faced off in Niagara, Wis. on Friday. The Knights rallied in the seventh inning to pick up the 4-2 win. (Sean Chase/Daily News photo)

Kraemer, Paquette and Baldwin each tallied an RBI. Kramer, Cooper, Dube, Paquette, Castalez, Baldwin and Debidart each recorded a hit for the Knights.

Sweig and Payette led the Badgers with two walks apiece. Hedmark, Champeau, Mallory Sanicki and Zowie Loukus each tallied one walk. Broullire and Payette each recorded one RBI. Mallory Sanicki led Niagara with two stolen bases.

The Knights take on North Dickinson at Hardwood Hall today in a Skyline Central Conference doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.

“The big one is on Tuesday, Superior Central is here,” Bal said. “They have eight games this week. That’s a lot for everybody.”

The Badgers head to Lodal Park at 3:30 p.m. today to face Kingsford.

The Norway and Niagara varsity softball teams faced off in Niagara, Wis. on Friday. The Knights rallied in the seventh inning to pick up the 4-2 win. (Sean Chase/Daily News photo)

MOUNTAINEERS 8, MODELTOWNERS 3

GWINN — The Iron Mountain varsity softball team was locked in on Friday as it took its talents to Gwinn for a doubleheader with the Modeltowners.

The Mountaineers opened the day with an 8-3 win over Gwinn and followed that with an 11-0 drubbing of the Modeltowners.

Game One

McKinlee Peterson got Iron Mountain on the board with a double in the top of the first and it led 1-0.

The Norway and Niagara varsity softball teams faced off in Niagara, Wis. on Friday. The Knights rallied in the seventh inning to pick up the 4-2 win. (Sean Chase/Daily News photo)

Gwinn tied things up at one in the next half inning and then the Mountaineers took over.

Lindsey Sorenson put IM ahead 2-1 with a single to third. Then Juliana Tapio stole home on a ball and the lead grew to two runs.

Sorenson extended the Mountaineers lead with a single to center that scored Tapio. Macy Linsenbigler scored on a Gwinn error and then Emily Copley tagged up on a pop up from Ava Sardina, Iron Mountain led 6-1.

The Modeltowners added a run in the bottom of the fifth and cut the lead to 6-2.

Sorenson and Peterson stole home in the sixth to extend the Mountaineers’ lead to six runs.

Gwinn would add another run to its total, but it wasn’t enough as IM picked up the win.

Linsenbigler got the win on the mound for the Mountaineers. She struck out seven in seven innings.

Sorenson led the way for Iron Mountain at the plate. She was 4 for 5 with two RBIs and six stolen bases. Only Tapio outpaced her on the basepaths with seven stolen bases. Peterson had three and Linsenbigler recorded two.

Game Two

It was all Iron Mountain in the second game.

Back-to-back singles from Tapio and Linsenbigler set up Sorenson. She grounded out, but Tapio was able to score. Copley would also ground out, but Linsenbigler made it home and the Mountaineers led 2-0.

A fielder’s choice plated a run in the second for IM. Then in the third, it began to pour it on the Modeltowners. The Mountaineers scored four runs in the frame and extended the lead to seven runs.

They would score a run in the fourth and a three-runs in the fifth to secure the 11-0 win.

Sardinia picked up the win in the circle for IM. She struck out six and allowed two walks in five innings.

Copley led the Mountaineers with two RBIs. Tapio, Linsenbigler, Sorenson, Peterson and Sardina each tallied one RBI. Sorenson led the way with four stolen bases. Veronica Stanchina had three while Sardina, Copley and Tapio each stole two.

Iron Mountain heads to Ishpeming today for a doubleheader with Westwood.

FLIVVERS 3, MAROONS 2

MENOMINEE — The Kingsford varsity softball team showed its might on Friday as it picked up two wins over the Maroons in Menominee.

The Flivvers eked out a 3-2 win to start the day and then rolled to a 16-6 victory over Menominee.

Game One

Mya Brunswick was dominant for Kingsford in the circle in the opener. She struck out 16 batters in seven innings.

The Flivvers started the scoring in the top of the first. With Kailey Sunquist in the box, Anna Bortolini scored on a passed ball and Kingsford led 1-0.

Menominee tied the game at one in the bottom of the third and the score would remain there until the sixth inning. A groundout from Bortolini scored Ady Weber and the Flivvers were back up 2-1. They extended the lead to 3-1 in the seventh on a double from Eden Janousek that scored Maddie Jungles.

Menominee would get a run back in the bottom of the frame, but Kingsford held on for the win.

Bortolini and Janousek led the Flivvers with an RBI apiece. Jungles and Weber each drew one walk.

Game Two

Bortolini led that way for the Flivvers in the second game. She finished the day 3 for 5 at the dish with an RBI and two stolen bases.

Although Kingsford took the lead early, a nine run fifth inning was the key to victory.

It also scored four in the first, one in the third and two in the fourth to pick up the 16-6 win.

Weber picked up the win for the Flivvers. She struck out one in four innings. Reagan Cram struck out one in one inning of relief.

Sundquist and McKenna Trulock each recorded three RBIs. Cram and Weber added two RBIs apiece.

Kingsford is home today at Lodal Park against Ishpeming at 3:45 p.m.

The Norway and Niagara varsity softball teams faced off in Niagara, Wis. on Friday. The Knights rallied in the seventh inning to pick up the 4-2 win. (Sean Chase/Daily News photo)

The Norway and Niagara varsity softball teams faced off in Niagara, Wis. on Friday. The Knights rallied in the seventh inning to pick up the 4-2 win. (Sean Chase/Daily News photo)