Local Sports

Superior Service downs JB’s in extra innings in battle of top teams

LAKE LINDEN -- It took an extra frame, but the ladies from Superior Service proved to live up to their name as they gave JB's Sales and Services (7-2) just their second loss of the season on Wednesday with an 8-6 win. The win was of the come-from-behind variety as Superior Service trailed the whole game until they tied it in the fifth inning at six apiece.

"We battled in this one," said Superior Service player-coach Raili Therrian. "We struggled at first, and then our bats came alive as did our defense in the second half of this one."

JB's opened the game with two runs in the first and two runs in the second inning. Swinging a big bat in both those frames and crossing home was JB's outfielder Brynn Arko, who had singles in both frames. Lucy Biekkola had an RBI single in the first, and Mackenzie Ekdahl had one of her own in the second.

Estella Soumis was in the circle for JB's and kept Superior Services scoreless until the third.

Catcher Tarynn Brey started that inning off with a double and came home on a Harlee Froberg hit up the middle. Froberg then scored on a Therrian base rap. Therrian, in turn, scored on a Lola Cichosz RBI to left. When the bats cooled down, Superior Services had scored three runs on four hits.

JB's added to a 4-3 lead with two more runs in the fourth. Again, it was Arko who led the charge - this time with a double and scored a few batters later. JB's led 6-4 headed into the fifth - an inning that belonged to the bats of Superior Service.

The Superior Service (8-2) lineup posted three runs to tie the game at six apiece, forcing extra innings. A walk to Reagan Moyle led to an RBI single by Milly Loukus. She, in turn, came home on a Josie Conners single. It was the third single for Superior Service's starting pitcher. Conners was the tying run and came home on an errant throw.

The scoreboard remained clean for the sixth and seventh innings. With darkness setting in, the eighth inning started appropriately at the top of Superior Service's lineup, and they did not disappoint.

Loukus had her third base hit of the night, and Conners brought her across home on a double. She scored two batters later thanks to Therrian, and proceeded to put the JB's lineup down with two strikeouts in the bottom of the eighth to give Superior Service their seventh win of the season.

"It was a good game, but frustrating," said JB's player coach Ekdahl.

Superior National Bank 3, Gold Standard 2

The other game at the Boneyard between Superior National Bank and Gold Standard was also a come-from-behind affair with Superior National Bank emerging victorious at 3-2.

Tied at two headed into the bottom of the seventh, SNB won the game on an errant throw in the bottom of the seventh. The bad throw allowed Bekka Pelli to steal home and gave them the third and decisive run.

Gold Standard led for much of the game. They jumped out to a 2-0 lead after three innings. Ashley Johnson scored in the first inning and catcher Jordyn Rowe scored in the third.

However, the two-run lead was not enough against a hard-hitting team like SNB. Meg Ruohonen chipped away at the lead in the fifth inning with a solo home run, which broke the ice.

The ladies from SNB tied it in the bottom of the sixth thanks to Brita Haataja.

Superior National Bank's starting pitcher and player coach, Rosalie Anderson-Kangas, held the Gold Standard lineup scoreless in the top of the seventh and set the stage for the walk-off win by her team.

"This was a good game," she said. "It was a battle for both teams.

"I think that our defense was strong at the end and that helped secure the win. However, there was good pitching and fielding on both sides throughout this one."