Daver Karnosky/Daily Mining Gazette Calumet Golf Course/Loading Zone II's pitcher Elli Djerf readies to deliver a pitch during the first inning of a semifinal playoff game against Campioni's True Value Wednesday night at Gipp Field in Laurium.

LAURIUM — It is not often that the eighth batter in the lineup is going to have an impact in the final inning of a softball game on both sides of the ball, let alone during a playoff game, but that is exactly what happened Wednesday night at the Gipp Field in Laurium.

Molly Larson singled home the insurance run in the top half of the seventh inning and then came up with a two-on, two-out catch in right field to seal the victory in the bottom half as Calumet Golf Course/Loading Zone II earned an 8-6 win over Campioni’s True Value in a Copper Country Women’s Softball League semifinal game.

It was by no means as easy win, as Campioni’s possessed the type of offense that could put up big numbers in any inning, having already beaten Calumet by multiple runs early in the season and on a walk-off grand slam in late June.

“You look through their lineup and they have the potential of unleashing on you,” said Calumet manager Glenn Johnson. “It was a nail-biter, for sure, but we made the plays that we had to, again, which was big.

“I am proud of everybody, but I am really proud of the bottom of our order. They came and they produced. They got on base when we absolutely needed them to. They came to win; that is the bottom line.”

Calumet had jumped out to an early 2-0 lead when second baseman Taylor Vertin dropped a single into right field to score MacKenzie LePage, and Alexa Destrampe had singled to center to bring Elli Djerf home — but that lead did not last.

With the game tied at 6, Caitlyn Zerbst singled to center field to bring Vertin home and give Calumet the lead. Two batters later, Larson stepped to the plate with Jada Riutta 120 feet from home plate at second.

Larson missed the first pitch from Campioni’s starter Kayley King, but rounded her bat squarely on the second one, ripping a ground ball towards Laura Lyons, who was playing shortstop for Campioni’s. The ball snuck through Lyons’ legs, allowing Riutta to round third and beat the throw home to put Calumet up 8-6.

Campioni’s first batter of the bottom of the seventh, Emily Erkkila, who was the hero of Monday’s quarterfinal game for Campioni’s, popped out to lead off. Vera Peterson singled, putting pressure on Djerf. That pressure increased despite May Beiring reaching on a fielder’s choice after Jonna Berg singled to left field, putting the potential lead run at the plate with two outs. King waited for a floating pitch from Djerf and she unleashed a drive to right field that Larson did not seem to pick up right away. As the ball fell near her, Larson reached out with an extended left hand and snatched the ball before falling away to her left, ending the game.

“Molly Larson had that huge play out in right to end the game; a huge play,” said Johnson. “They had the tying run at second with two down, so that was a big deal.”

Djerf had surrendered seven hits coming into the bottom of the seventh, including one double to Peterson and a triple to Beiring, but that did not deter Johnson from turning to her to finish the game.

“I have every bit of faith in Elli,” said Johnson. “I knew she was the one we would go to in that situation. For her age, she is really mature, mentally mature, and she does a good job pitching.”

Although Calumet took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, they did not find home plate again until the fifth, which allowed Camipioni’s to rack up three runs in the bottom of the fourth and take a brief 3-2 lead.

After Peterson doubled to lead off the inning, Beiring brought her home with a triple to deep right field that Larson did not get a good first step on when trying to track it down. Beiring then scored to even the game on a sacrifice by Jonna Berg.

Lyons hit one right at Lepage at shortstop, but the Campioni’s dropped the ball at short, allowing Lyons to get on. Kendra Keranen then doubled to deep left to bring Lyons home and give Campioni’s the brief 3-2 lead.

Calumet got to King again in the fifth when LePage reached on a defensive error and got to third on the play. Vertin dropped a single into left field to bring Lepage home, evening the game at 3.

Calumet took a 6-4 lead into the bottom of the sixth, but the lead was short-lived as King scored on a sacrifice by Kierstyn Codere and Keranen scored on line drive by Allison Spence.