HANCOCK — Despite nine strikeouts from Bryce Hanner in 5 1/3 innings, the Hancock Bulldogs baseball team dropped the opening game of a doubleheader against Houghton Saturday morning at the Hancock Driving Park, 5-3. In the second game, Hancock’s bats came alive, as they scored eight runs in the third inning, earning a 13-1 win in the process.

In the first game, Houghton (9-4 overall) jumped out to a 4-0 lead to start the game. Eli Heathman got things started with a single to lead off. Hudson Markham followed with a walk. Bryce Pugh then reached on a defensive error, loading the bases.

As the next batter, Henry Switzer singled to center field. During the play, a defensive error allowed all four runners to score before the play came to an end.

In the bottom of the first, Ned Larson singled to lead off for Hancock (10-3 overall). Three batters later, he scored on a single by Benny Keranen.

The game remained 4-1 in favor of Houghton until the fifth. Zach Geborkoff, looking to make up for an error in the first inning, doubled to center field with one out. Hanner then reached on a defensive error, and Geborkoff scored. Hanner then scored two batters later when Luke Mikkola doubled to left field, cutting Houghton’s lead down to one, 4-3.

Houghton got one run back in the top of the sixth. With one out, Joel Durocher singled to left field. He then scored shortly after on a Latham Salmi single to left field.

Pugh earned the win on the mound for the Gremlins, striking out six and walking one while giving up seven hits.

Hanner struck out nine, walked three and gave up six hits for the Bulldogs. Caleb Isaacson went 2/3 of an inning, striking out one and walking one.

In the second game, Hancock scored twice in the first and three times in the second to take a 5-0 lead into the third, when they exploded for eight runs, putting the game out of reach.

Isaacson went two innings on the mound to earn the win, striking out one and walking three while giving up four hits. Keranen came in to relieve him, going two innings, and striking out two.

Salmi went just 2/3 of an inning for the Gremlins, giving up two runs and walking five. Durocher stepped in, striking out two and walking two over 1 2/3 innings. Ethan Hainault went 2/3 of an inning as well, walking three and giving up one hit.

Offensively, the Bulldogs saw Keranen go 3-for-3 with three RBI, a triple, a walk, and three runs scored. Braydon Larson went just 1-for-2 at the plate, but he knocked in three and scored once.

Ned Larson, and Alex Pietila had one hit each. Larson knocked in two runs.

UP NEXT

Houghton returns to action Tuesday when they travel to face Calumet. Hancock is back in action Thursday against Westwood at the Hancock Driving Park.