Eddie O’Neill/Daily Mining Gazette Houghton Rotary’s Jax Pierner slides into home as Rajala Kitchen’s Blake Heltunen waits for the ball.

SOUTH RANGE — Houghton Rotary came back from a 10-2 deficit to pull even with Rajala’s Kitchen in Portage Lake Little League Minors action on Monday. The large comeback forced a rare ending for a Little League game, a tie, due to time constraints.

Rajala’s jumped on the board early with a five run first and second inning. They took advantage of numerous walks and wild pitches given up by Houghton’s starter Luciano Paoli.

However, Houghton were able to put two tallies on the board in the top of the second thanks to base hits by Channing Kralling and Russell Trewartha.

After two innings, the score was 10-2.

“We came out aggressive at the start of the game and got all of our runs,” said Rajala’s Kitchens manager Bruce Heltunen. “Then they got their runs in the later innings.”

Houghton Rotary made it 10-7 in the top of the third as their bats came alive for five more runs. Kralling and Trewartha once again came through with back-to-back singles through the infield.

In the bottom of the third, Houghton’s pitcher Tevin Stukel struck out the Rajala side.

Houghton was able to transition their strong defense into strong offense in the top of the fourth with three runs to tie the game. Riley Kovach, Paoli and Stukel all came home on walks and wild pitches. Stukel pitched a strong fourth as Rajala went down three in a row.

The game ended after four innings.

“I am really proud of the team,” said Houghton Rotary manager Daron Durocher. “The kids were really sluggish at the beginning, but they didn’t give up. We will take a tie over a loss any day.”

Heltunen added that he was equally pleased with the effort his squad put in on the field as well.

Rajala moved to 5-1-1 on the season and Houghton Rotary advanced to 3-2-1.

Auto Pro Glass & Tire 10, Pat’s Foods 6

SOUTH RANGE — Timely hitting helped lift Auto Pro Glass & Tire to a 10-6 win in Minors action over Pat’s Foods Monday night.

Redik Randell, Forrest LaCourt, Danny Sturos, Ted Kilpela, Ensio Anderson and Peter Heinonen all drove in runs for Auto Pro over the course of the game.

On the mound, LaCourt, Kilpela and Kirk Larson combined for nine strikeouts in the victory.

Fynn Pennala, Nolan Hanner, Cole Sepala, Lucas Mayra and Sawyer Martens all had hits for Pat’s Foods.