Daver Karnosky/Daily Mining Gazette Houghton Building Supply won the Portage Lake Little League Junior/Senior title with a win over Dave’s BP in the championship game Tuesday at the Hancock Driving Park. Houghton Building Supply’s roster includes Victor Heinonen, Connor Helminen, Carsen L’Esperance, Vincent Heinonen, Davis Moyle, Bentley Kinnunen, Finn Pennala, Stan Kangas, Henry Johnson, and Devin Casper.

HANCOCK — On a cold, windswept Tuesday night at the Hancock Driving Park, Houghton Building Supply used a five-run first inning to springboard their way to a Portage Lake Little League Junior/Senior title over Dave’s BP, 12-3.

For Houghton Building Supply, earning the win followed a typical game plan for them: score runs early and often.

“That’s kind of been our story all year, getting up early and trying to hang on,” said HBS coach Chad Pennala. “We’ve been getting better and better at holding.”

Pitcher Connor Helminen was outstanding in earning the win. He threw six innings, giving up six hits and five walks.

“I wanted him to get the whole game,” said Chad Pennala. “We were at 95 (pitches), so we couldn’t get the whole game, but, yeah, he pitched phenomenal. He’s an experienced kid and doesn’t shy away from the big games, that’s for sure.”

Meanwhile, at the plate, Vincent Heinonen drove his team’s offense, literally. He racked up a 3-for-3 game with two runs scored and a walk.

“Can’t say enough about Vince and his hits,” Chad Pennala said. “I think he was 3-for-4 with a walk and three hits, a double and two singles. He can drive the ball.

“He’s a great kid, too.”

For Dave’s BP, the loss on Tuesday felt eerily similar to an earlier-season loss to Houghton Building Supply. In that game, HBS jumped out to a seven-run lead early and held on at the end for a five-run victory. While Dave’s BP got things started in the top of the first with a run scored, they gave up five in the bottom half of the inning.

“It’s tough,” said Dave’s BP coach Dave Wanhala. “They had lots of hits.

“We didn’t make a lot of errors in the field, and they were hitting our pitcher, so it’s not much you’re going to do about that.”

Dave’s BP got their offense going with two outs in the top of the first and Isaac Wanhala at the plate. Wanhala singled and then stole second with Blake Heltunen at the plate. Heltunen then singled, and a defensive error during the play allowed Wanhala to cross home plate safely.

Things changed very quickly in the bottom half of the inning.

Victor Heinonen led off for Houghton Building Supply with a single off of Dave’s BP starting pitcher Chase Keranen. Heinonen stole second. Carsen L’Esperance drew a walk two batters later. Vincent Heinonen then singled, knocking both runners home and giving HBS a lead they never relented from there.

Vincent Heinonen then stole second as Davis Moyle was at the plate. Moyle singled to knock Heinonen home. Bentley Kinnunen walked and Finn Pennala followed with a double to right field, which scored Kinnuen. Stan Kangas sacrificed to drive Moyle home. Henry Johnson grounded out to end the inning, but the damage was already done.

Keranen struggled on the mound in that half inning, throwing 43 pitches. By comparison, he threw just 38 over the next four innings.

“Yeah, that’s tough,” Dave Wanhala said. “It puts us a little bit behind, but we had a couple other guys who can come in and throw. So I wasn’t too worried about his pitch count, because I do have those other guys that can come in I could trust.

“He got a little bit tired. That’s why I took him out. I took him out a little early because he got, you could tell, the last couple batters he was a little tired.”

All season long for Dave’s BP, so much of how their team did offensively would depend on how the bottom half of their lineup performed. When they could string baserunners together from their sixth through their ninth hitters, the top half of their order could knock them home.

“When we’ve lost, that’s been our problem a little bit,” said Dave Wanhala. “We’ve struggled a little bit in the bottom half (of the lineup), but they’ve come through with some big innings for us, though, too. So, you have to give them some good credit.”

In the third, Jason Parmelee, the ninth batter, led off with a walk. Redik Randell flew out, but advanced the runner. Then Keranen helped himself out with a single to center field that brought Parmelee home. Isaac Wanhala then sacrificed to move Keranen to third. Heltunen brought him home with a single and suddenly the game was much more manageable at 5-3.

It did not take Houghton Building Supply long to respond.

Vincent Heinonen led off with a single to second base. He then stole second with Moyle at the plate. Moyle then sacrificed to push Heinonen to third. A sacrifice from Kinnunen brought him home, and gave HBS back a three-run lead at 6-3.

That run seemed to be a back breaker for Dave’s BP.

“That one was tough, that run,” Dave Wanhala said. “Then we just kind of went flat with the bats a little bit, and they scored a couple more. That’s the way it goes. That’s baseball.”

In the bottom of the fourth, Henry Johnson led off with a single to center field. Devin Casper drilled a ball down the left field line that gave Johnson time to score. Casper, trying for a triple, was tagged out as he approached the base. Victor Heinonen and L’Esperance both walked. Vincent Heinonen then doubled, driving in both runners to push the lead to 9-3.

Houghton Building Supply added another run in the fifth as Finn Pennala walked and later scored on a wild pitch thrown by Isaac Wanhala, who came in to relieve Keranen on the mound for Dave’s BP. Kangas also walked before two straight strikeouts ended the inning.

Leading 10-3 in the bottom of the sixth, Houghton Building Supply added two more runs as Victory Heinonen led off, getting hit with a pitch and then later scoring. Helminen also walked and later scored.

In the consolation game, Coca-Cola took third with a 4-2 win over L’Anse.