CALUMET — Combining for 14 strikeouts, Houghton Gremlins pitchers Stella Soumis and Romi Mattson combined to help lead their softball team to a pair of come-from-behind wins Monday on the road against the Calumet Copper Kings.

Soumis struck out six and walked two while giving up 10 hits in the opener, a 13-7 victory for Houghton. In the nightcap, Mattson struck out eight over seven innings, while giving up four walks and nine hits in an 11-8 win.

Houghton (15-6 overall) jumped out to an early lead in the first game. Shortstop Clea Ollanketo doubled to center field to lead off. Two batters later, center fielder Kenzie Collard grounded out, but Ollanketo scored on the play.

Calumet (10-9 overall) evened things up in the bottom half of the inning as third basemanRyleigh Johnson doubled to left field to lead off. She later scored on a passed ball while first baseman Chloe Coppo was at the plate. Coppo then struck out to end the inning.

Houghton got that run back in the top of the second as first baseman Brynn Arko singled. After catcher Lexi Burns singled, moving Arko to third, Danielle Williston grounded out. Arko scored before the play came to an end.

The game remained 2-1 in favor of Houghton until the bottom of the third.

With two out, pitcher Lena Myhren doubled to center field. catcher Isabella Coppo then reached on a defensive error. Myhren scored when she stole home before Chloe Coppo singled. A defensive error then allowed Isabella Coppo to score before left fielder Audrey Erkkila flied out to end the inning.

Houghton evened things in the top of the fourth on a home run to center field by Arko. Burns and Williston then singled. Both were brought home by a right fielder Delany Salmi single to right field.

Calumet bounced back in the bottom half of the inning.

Right fielder Jaysa Wilks walked. Bethany Garrow singled to left field and then Johnson reached on a defensive error. Wilks scored on the play. Garrow then scored on a fly ball by shortstop Molly Erkkila. Erkkila reached on a defensive error. Myhren flew out, but Johnson scored after tagging up, giving the Copper Kings a 6-5 lead.

Houghton responded with a big fifth inning. Ollanketo got things started with a double. Mattson followed with a ground ball. She reached first on a defensive error. Collard knocked both of them in with a double to center field. Soumis then singled to left field to score Collard.

Third baseman Jacey Sleeman doubled to right field and Arko drew an intentional walk to load the bases. Burns singled to left field, scoring Soumis to give the Gremlins a 9-6 lead.

Chloe Coppo led the bottom half of the fifth with a single to center field. Four batters later, she scored on a fly ball by Garrow.

Houghton, looking to add to their lead, did so in the sixth as Mattson singled and later scored on a single by Soumis.

In the top of the seventh, Ollanketo extended Houghton’s lead with a two-out, solo home run to right field. Mattson followed with a single. Collard singled to center field, and both runners were brought home by a double by Soumis.

Calumet went down, 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh to end the game.

The Copper Kings got started early in the nightcap. Myhren earned a two-out single to left field to spark the offense. Isabella Coppo reached on an error, and Myhren scored on the play.

Calumet added to their lead in the second after pitcher Kaylee Newsom reached on a ground ball to center field. Johnson followed with a single to left field two batters later. Molly Erkkila grounded out to end the inning, but not before Newsom stole home.

Houghton got one run back in the top of the third as Ollanketo reached on an error and then scored two batters later on a steal of home before a single to left field by Collard.

The Copper Kings answered in the bottom half of the inning. Myhren led off with a walk. Isabella Coppo doubled to left field, scoring Myhren on the play. Chloe Coppo knocked a two-run home run to center field to put the hosts up 5-1.

The Gremlins evened things up in the top of the fifth.

Salmi singled to center. Ollanketo followed with a walk. Mattson laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners into scoring position. Two batters later, Soumis singled, bringing Salmi home. Sleeman then doubled to right field, scoring both Ollanketo and Soumis. Arko then was hit by a pitch. Sleeman scored on a double by Burns, but Jada Guilbault, who entered the game to run for Arko, was tagged out trying to score, ending the inning with the teams tied at 5-5.

Calumet answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the sixth.

Myhren singled to center field. Isabella Coppo walked. Then, Chloe Coppo reached on a defensive error, scoring Myhren on the play. A defensive error with Audrey Erkkila at the plate allowed Isabella Coppo to score, making the game 7-5 in favor of the Copper Kings.

In the top of the seventh, Mattson helped her own cause by drawing a lead off walk. Collard then singled to left field. Soumis singled to left field to score Mattson on a defensive error. Sleeman followed with a ground out, but Collard scored on the play. Arko then singled to center field, scoring Soumis to give the Gremlins an 8-7 lead.

Burns singled to right field. Two batters later, Salmi singled, scoring Arko. Ollanketo then doubled to left field, scoring both runners.

Needing offense in their final at bats, Calumet got off to a good start with a Chloe Coppo ground ball. She reached first on an error. After two straight outs by the next two hitters, Newsom singled to center. Audrey Erkkila scored on a passed ball with Garrow at the plate. Garrow followed with a pop out, ending the inning and the game.

UP NEXT

Calumet was back in action Tuesday against Westwood at home. They will host Negaunee on Thursday. Houghton returns to action Wednesday when they travel to face Hancock.