The Hancock Central High School varsity softball team poses with the MHSAA Division 4 District 97 championship trophy after defeating Gogebic 6-0 on Friday, June 3, 2022, in Hancock, Mich. (David Archambeau/For the Gazette)

HANCOCK — It was a full afternoon of softball that had two shut outs, a no-hitter, a one-hitter and a third district title in a row for a hard-working group of Hancock girls.

The Bulldogs won the MHSAA Division 4 District 97 title at home at Driving Park on Friday with a 6-0 defeat of the Gogebic Miners.

Hancock beat L’Anse 18-0 in the semifinals.

With the district championship once again under their belts, Hancock advances to face Pickford in the MHSAA Division 4 Region 25 semifinal on Saturday in Norway.

“This was a goal at the beginning of the season to get back to districts and win it, and we did it,” said Randy Heinonen, head coach of the Hancock Bulldogs. “As you can imagine, I am very proud of the girls. They are playing some very good softball all around.”

In the first game of the day, Gogebic faced off against the Baraga Vikings. In that one, the Miners climbed out of an 11-2 deficit early in the game and win it in walk-off style 14-13 in the bottom of the seventh.

“We just chipped away and run by run got back into that one,” explained their head coach Luke Penrose. “A walk-off win is always exciting especially with this group of girls.”

In the second game, the Bulldogs blasted their way to a shortened three -inning 18-0 ‘mercy’ win over the L’Anse Purple Hornets. Hancock scored eight runs in the first and 10 in the second. Senior Kaydence Kilpela threw a one hitter for the Bulldogs. She faced 14 batters while striking out six and walking four. At the plate, shortstop Kaisa Salani had an impressive five-RBI game. Krista Kela followed with four for the Bulldogs.

With those two games in the book, the stage was set for the Miners to take on the Bulldogs in the district title game of the day.

Both teams threw their aces. Hancock went with lefty Sadie Biekkola and the Miners put Prudence Prochnow in the circle.

When all was said and done, coach Penrose of the Miners summed his team’s effort up quite simply.

He said, “This was the first time we’d faced Hancock, and we knew they were strong. Their pitcher was fantastic. We couldn’t figure her out.”

Biekkola threw all seven innings allowing no Gogebic hits. She struck out 13 Miners and walked seven. Prochnow did not do too bad herself. She went the distance striking out eight and walking just one. The difference was in the fact that the Bulldog girls were hungry for hits.

The Bulldogs put their first tallies on the scoreboard in the fourth. With bases loaded, Salani got things going with a base hit that knocked in two runs. They would go on to rack up two more and make it a 4-0 Bulldogs’ tilt after four innings.

In the bottom of the fifth, Kilpela, now playing third, was the star of the show. With a 2-1 count the senior blasted her only home run of her high school career. It counted for two RBIs and a big smile from her coach.

“Here we are in what could have been Kaydence’s last game, and she blasts one over the fence,” said Heinonen. “How cool is that.”

With those six runs, the Bulldogs were able to secure the shut-out win and give Biekkola the no hitter.

“What can I say. We are playing very well defensively and running the bases aggressively,” Heinonen said. “We will have a full week of practice and get ready for Pickford next weekend.”

Gogebic 000 000 0 – 0

HCHS 000 420 x – 6