Daver Karnosky/Daily Mining Gazette Teammates swarm Calumet's Allison Spence (12) as she reaches home plate after hitting a two-run home run off a pitch from Hancock's Delaney Heinonen during the second game of a doubleheader Thursday at George Gipp Field in Laurium.

CALUMET — As they reached the midpoint of their season, the Hancock Bulldogs softball team was much better Thursday evening than they had been just three nights earlier when they swept the Jeffers Jets at home. Unfortunately, just being better was not enough to hold off the offensively gifted Calumet Copper Kings at the George Gipp Field.

The Copper Kings, whom Bulldogs manager Randy Heinonen feels is the top team offensively in the area, came back from a 3-1 deficit in the top of the seventh to win the opener 5-3, and then exploded offensively in the nightcap, winning 10-4.

“They are the best hitting team around here, easily,” said Heinonen. “Celia Peterson is an unbelievable hitter. I am not sure if we got her out the whole day long. I don’t think we did.”

Peterson, in fact, went 4-for-6 on the day with a walk and one base reached on an error as a catalyst of Calumet’s offense.

Madelyn Pierner got things going for the Bulldogs with a walk in the first. Later, Pierner scored on a single by Maddie Johnson. The Bulldogs struggled to get baserunners after that against Calumet starter Emily Erkkila until the bottom of the fifth when Jordyn Rowe singled. Abby Brooks knocked her home with a single, regaining Hancock’s lead at 2-1.

Jillian Parker doubled and later scored to put the Bulldogs up 3-1 heading into the top of the seventh.

Manager Joel Rastello’s Copper Kings needed a big inning in the seventh to stay alive — and they got just that.

Celia Peterson got things going by reaching on an error. Allison Spence knocked her home with a double to the center field fence. Spence was advanced to third by a sacrifice from Erkkila.

If that had been the Bulldogs had the next play, they would have squeezed the collective throats of the Copper Kings. Instead, Johnson missed a ball while standing between first and second and Molly Helminen took advantage of the situation, reaching first. To make matters worse, Spence scored on the play, tying the game.

Rastello admitted that the opening game was too close for comfort, but was proud of how his girls stuck with the game plan.

“That first game was scary,” said Rastello. “If you asked me, ‘Do you think we are coming back?’ I was thinking, ‘I don’t know, I don’t think so.’

“I told these girls, you have to step it up and do your thing. They did, and luckily, we got a few breaks.”

From there, things went from bad to worse for the Bulldogs.

With the score now tied, Hannah Rautio walked. Both Helminen and Rautio advanced on a passed ball from Hancock’s Delaney Heinonen and suddenly, Calumet had two runners in scoring position.

Jaden Rilei hit a fly ball to right field that Brooks tracked well. With her glove raised, Brooks tried to close her hand around the ball, which slipped out and proceeded to hit her in the forehead and fall behind her, allowing both runs to score and giving Calumet their first and only lead of the game.

The Bulldogs, looking to try to get back into the game in the bottom of the seventh, sent Pierner running from second to third on a long fly ball hit by Johnson. The move would have worked, had Brittany Heikkila not gunned her down from right field with a one-hop throw.

“The throw from Brittany to end that game…I am not a hugger, but I gave her a hug after that one,” said Rastello. “That was a tremendous throw.”

While the loss was tough to swallow, coach Heinonen admitted that he is pleased with the progress his young team has made thus far.

“We had a chance to win the game and we didn’t make the plays,” said Heinonen. “That is still the best game that we have played. [That was an] awesome high school softball game.”

In the nightcap, the Bulldogs jumped out to a 1-0 lead early when Pierner scored on a single from Brooks.

That was the last lead the Bulldogs would have as the Copper Kings’ offense buckled down and got to work. Kendra Keranen scored on a passed ball. Another scored Celia Peterson. A defensive error allowed Spence to score, and Vera Peterson scored shortly after.

Hancock shaved Calumet’s lead down over the next three innings to even things at 4-4, but they could not secure another lead. Erkkila doubled to left field and scored after Keranen drilled a ball to the center field fence for a triple. Celia Peterson brought her home with a single to left center field. Three pitches later, Spence drove a hanging pitch from Delaney Heinonen over the center field fence for a two-run home run, putting the Copper Kings up 8-4.

Calumet added two more runs before the night was over.

Rastello credited his staff for helping prepare his squad for tough games like Thursday.

“I have three assistant coaches who do a lot of work and they do a great job,” said Rastello. “Mike Hale, my brother John Rastello  and Matt Vertin… They do all the behind-the-scenes work to get the girls ready.”

Calumet gets right back on the field tonight when they face the Baraga Vikings in a doubleheader.