Hancock second baseman Romey Koskela watches a hit during the first game of a doubleheader against Houghton Tuesday at the Hancock Driving Park. (Daver Karnosky/Daily Mining Gazette)

ESCANABA — Things went pretty well for the Hancock Bulldogs softball team Saturday at the Escanaba Invite, as they lost their opener to the Millington Cardinals, 12-11, then defeated the Escanaba Eskymos JV squad, 4-1, and the Houghton Gremlins in in their final game of the day, 12-8.

Late run dooms Bulldogs

The Bulldogs jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the top of the second against the Cardinals, but found themselves trailing 10-8 after three innings. They evened things again in the top of the fourth, only to fall behind, 11-10, in the bottom half. Hancock tied it again in the top of the fifth, only to give up one more in the bottom half to end the game.

In the second inning, second baseman Romey Koskela got things started with a lead-off walk. Diem Kilpela then walked. Right fielder Emily L’Esperance walked to load the bases. Koskela scored on a passed ball with First baseman Alice Larson at the plate. Larson then walked to load the bases again. Left fielder Sofie Freeman reached on an error, scoring Kilpela. Shortstop Kaelyn Rouleau followed with a double to right field, clearing the bases and putting Hancock up 5-0.

Catcher Brooke Koskela then singled to center field, scoring Rouleau. Pitcher Sadie Biekkola drew a walk, putting runners on the corners. Koskela stole home with third baseman Lucy Biekkola at bat. Despite Lucy Biekkola striking out, the Bulldogs scored again when Romey Koskela laid down a sacrifice bunt to bring Sadie Biekkola home.

Trailing 10-8 in the fourth, and with one down, the Bulldogs got back to work. Brooke Koskela doubled to left field. Sadie Biekkola then tripled to right field, scoring Koskela. Lucy Biekkola then laid down a bunt, which scored her older sister, Sadie.

The Cardinals regained the lead, 11-10, in the bottom half of the inning.

In the top of the fifth, L’Esperance singled to left field to lead off. Larson advanced her to second with a sacrifice bunt. Freeman grounded out, but L’Esperance scored to even the game again.

Millington scored again in the bottom of the inning to earn the win.

Sadie Biekkola threw 4 2/3 innings in the pitcher’s circle. She struck out three, walked five and gave up 10 hits.

Bulldogs top Eskymos

A scoreless tie for two innings was broken up by the Bulldogs scoring three times in the third. They gave one back to the Eskymos in the bottom half of the fourth, but got that one back in the top of the fifth to earn the win.

Larson led off the third with a single to second. Center fielder Vaeda Brooks singled to short. Freeman then laid down a bunt and reached safely while Larson scored. Rouleau laid down a bunt and was thrown out, but Brooks scored on the play. Two batters later, Sadie Biekkola reached on an error, and Freeman scored. Sadie Biekkola struck out to end the inning.

Leading 3-1 in the top of the fifth, the Bulldogs went back to work. Down one out, Rouleau tripled to center field. Brooke Koskela struck out, but because of a dropped third strike, she ran towards first base. She was tagged out, but Rouleau scored on the play. Sadie Biekkola struck out to end the inning.

Lucy Biekkola went seven innings in the circle for the win. She struck out seven, walked one and gave up just four hits.

Bulldogs top Gremlins to close out day

The Gremlins fell behind 4-0 right away, but battled back to make it 4-3 in the second. However, they never could close that gap all the way. They fell behind 6-4 after three innings, 7-4 after four, 9-7 after five, and got back to 9-8 in the sixth before the Bulldogs racked up three runs in the bottom half of the inning to close out the scoring for the game.

In the bottom of the first inning, Freeman led off with a single to left field. Two batters later, Brooks Koskela doubled to left field, scoring Freeman in the process. Sadie Biekkola followed with a single to center, scoring Koskela. Lucy Biekkola tripled, scoring her older sister. She then stole home with Kilpela at the plate, and suddenly Hancock led by four.

Looking to get themselves into the game, the Gremlins did so in the top of the second. Reagan Moyle drew a leadoff walk. Sophie Hebert doubled to left field. Two batters later, Emmy Pietila tripled to right field, scoring both runners. Then Brooke Pietila grounded out, but Emmy Pietila scored on the play.

Houghton then tied things at four in the third. With two out, Stella Soumisd singled to left field. Moyle followed with a single to short. Hebert reached on an error, and Soumis scored on the play.

Hancock turned to Sadie Biekkola to spark them back to a lead. She tripled to right field. Lucy Biekkola brought her sister home with a double to left field. Romey Koskela followed with a double to left field, scoring Lucy Biekkola, and the Bulldogs were back up by two.

In the fourth, Hancock got another run. Bastian led off with a triple to right field. Freeman laid down a sacrifice bunt to bring her home and extend the lead to three, 7-4.

Collard started a rally for the Gremlins in the top of the fifth as she doubled to center field to lead off. Soumis drew a walk. Moyle then singled to short and Houghton had the bases loaded. Collard scored on a wild pitch with Hebert at the plate. After Hebert struck out, Josie Switzer singled to center, scoring Soumis and Moyle in the process, tying the game at 7-7.

In the bottom half of the inning, Mallory Sporalski singled to left field. Larson followed with a single to right field. Tia Pelto singled to right field, scoring Sporalski. Bastian then sacrificed to score Larson and Hancock led 9-7.

With one out in the top of the sixth, Collard singled to left field. Soumis singled to left. Collard