Houghton’s Estella Soumis pitches against Gogebic on Wednesday in Houghton. (Eddie O’Neill/The Daily Mining Gazette)

HOUGHTON — The Houghton High School softball team did what they do best on Wednesday and that’s hit the ball and hit it hard.

Their big bats earned them two wins against the Gogebic Miners and improved their record to 10-0 on the season. They defeated the Miners 13-0 in four innings and 24-2 in three innings.

Houghton head coach Mel Baker said she was please with how this season is shaping up as the Gremlins are getting better game by game.

“Our hitting was strong and our pitching is doing very well,” she said.

In the second game, the Gremlins looked like they were taking batting practice off the Gogebic’s Brooke Stanislawski. Balls were hit hard to left field and past second base. The Gremlins plated 11 runs in the first inning, six in the second and seven in the third. Clea Ollanketo and Fayah Zapolnik both went 3 for 4 and had home runs in the night cap.

While the Gogebic pitchers were hit hard in both games, that was not a real concern to Miners coach Luke Penrose.

“I was proud of my pitchers as they threw strikes, and that is what they are supposed to do,” he noted. “We are a young team and a work in progress. This is really only the second time we’ve been outside for games. We are a work in progress but we made way too many errors. If I’m going to have my pitcher throw strikes, then she needs to know she has a group of girls behind her who are going to back her up, and that did not occur today.”

The Miners were able to post their only runs on the afternoon in the first inning of the second game. Gogebic’s lead-off hitter Kaedyn Hendrickson reached first on an error. Stanislawski then got a base hit as did Keira Graham. Clean-up hitter Jeanne brought two runs in with a double to left field.

The Gremlins continued to show their strong fielding abilities on Wednesday as those two runners were the only to make it across home plate for Gogebic for the day.

The Gremlins were much more attentive to base running on Wednesday, and that was by design.

“We spent our most recent practice just working on base running,” said Baker. “It paid off as the girls were willing to take that extra chance and had more confidence out there. Base running is something you cannot replicate well in the gym. So, I am glad we are finally outside now.”

LL-H sweeps Ironwood

Lake Linden-Hubbell swept Ironwood by 22-2 and 8-4 scores on Wednesday.

Olivia Shank earned the win on the mound for the Lakes in both games. Pitching stats were not available before press time.

Marissa Sullivan singled and tripled for LL-H. Shank four hits including a pair of singles and doubles. Becca Lyons had three hits.

Shank hit an inside-the-park home run in the nightcap. Emily Jokela had two triples. Kara Kinnunen singled and tripled.