Eddie O’Neill/Daily Mining Gazette Calumet’s Danika Billeck misses a pitch from Gwinn’s Emily Mannor during the first game of a doubleheader Friday at the Boneyard in Lake Linden. Calumet won both contests.

LAKE LINDEN — With a combined score of 41-2, Friday’s softball doubleheader at the Boneyard looked more like a Calumet and Gwinn football game than a set of softball games. But just as they did in the fall on the gridiron, the Copper Kings swept the Modeltowners. 24-0 and 17-2, with wins on both ends of a doubleheader on the softball diamond.

Both games ended after just three innings due to the mercy rule.

“These girls work hard and it showed today,” said Calumet manager Joel Rastello, who is in his sixth year leading the school’s softball program.

In particular, he was pleased with the fact that three of his players joined the team’s home run club.

“We keep a sheet up in the locker room of our girls who have slugged home runs this year,” he said.

Added to the list is Andrea Kariniemi, who put one over the fence in left field in the third inning of the first game. Soon after, in the same inning, Vera Peterson followed with a three-run blast in the same spot.

In the second game, center fielder Audrey Walker crushed one to deep center field to clear the bases in the top of the second inning.

“The girls are aggressive at the plate, and it pays off,” said Rastello.

Equally impressive was the Copper Kings pitching and defense. Molly Helminen threw a perfect three innings for Calumet in the first game. She faced just nine batters and struck out six of them while her infield and outfield backed her for the other three.

“Our pitching and fielding is very strong this year,” said Rastelo. “We have five or six girls who can pitch well for us.”

It made all the difference as Gwinn’s hurler, Brooke Mannor, struggled with control and finding the plate. Too many walks led to double-digit innings for the Copper Kings in the first game. Poor fielding did not help her cause as the girls from Gwinn allowed four and five outs each inning.

Game Two was somewhat better for the Modeltowners as they were able to not only put their first runners on base, but also were able to string some hits together in the bottom half of the third inning and put two runs on the board.

Emily Mannor and Audrey Mannor got on base with singles. Then Brooke Mannor stepped up to the plate and slapped a line-drive triple to the left-center fence to clear the bases.

“Obviously, I was pleased with the second game more than the first,” said Gwinn manager Dan Shelafoe. “We saw some progress both at the plate and in the field. But overall, you cannot win games giving up error after error as we did in both games.

“We have a lot of work to do.”

Calumet’s Ellie Djerf threw the second game and struck out seven in three innings with a good mix speed and change up. She struck out the side in the second frame.

With the wins, the Copper Kings moved to 7-1 on the season.