Houghton center fielder Romi Mattson connects with a pitch during the first game of a doubleheader against Hancock Tuesday at the Hancock Driving Park. (Daver Karnosky/Daily Mining Gazette)

ESCANABA — On a busy Saturday, the Houghton Gremlins softball team traveled to Escanaba for the Escanaba Invite. They went 1-2 on the day, topping the Norway Knights, 9-6, before falling to the Three River Wildcats, 10-0, and the Hancock Bulldogs, 12-8.

Gremlins top Knights

In the day’s opener, the Gremlins scored four runs in the top of the first inning, and then added five more over the course of the next six innings to earn the win.

Pitcher Stella Soumis led the charge with a team-high three hits, two RBI, and two runs scored. She also pitched a complete game for the win. She struck out nine, walked two, and gave up eight hits en route to the victory.

Catcher Lexi Burns led off by reaching on an error to start things off quickly. Jacey Sleeman stepped in to run for Burns. Left fielder Emmy Pietila followed with a walk. Sleeman scored on a wild pitch with third baseman Kenzie Collard at the plate. A passed ball allowed Pietila to score, causing a pitching change. Collard did strike out.

Soumis doubled to right field. First baseman Raegan Moyle then singled to center field, scoring Soumis. Two batters later, second baseman Josie Switzer reached on an error, scoring Moyle at the same time and Houghton led 4-0.

Norway got one run back in the bottom of the first, but that was as close as they could get.

In the top of the second, shortstop Brooke Pietila drew a walk to lead off. Burns singled to left field. Two batters later, Collard tripled to right field, which scored both runners. Soumis then brought Collard home with a triple to left field and the Gremlins led at that point, 7-1.

The Knights got a run back in the bottom of the third and two more in the fourth to get to 7-4. They shaved another run off the lead in the sixth.

Houghton was looking for some insurance heading into the top of the seventh, and it did not take long. With one out, Collard doubled to left field. Soumis followed with a single to left field, scoring Collard. Right fielder Jillian Isaacson singled to center field two batters later, scoring Soumis and giving Houghton back a four-run lead at 9-5.

Norway got one back in the bottom of the seventh, but a ground out ended any further threat.

Houghton falls to Wildcats in six

The Wildcats broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third, scoring four times. They added three more in the fourth, and three more in the sixth to earn the win.

Moyle was the lone Gremlins hitter with multiple hits, going 2-for-3.

Burns, Emmy Pietila, Collard, Soumis, Isaacson, and Brooke Pietila all had one hit each.

Soumis threw 1 1/3 innings to start the game. She struck out one and walked two. Moyle pitched 1 2/3 in relief, striking out two, walking two, and giving up four hits. Switzer pitched the final 2 1/3, getting two strikeouts, giving up one walk, and seven hits.

Gremlins lose to Bulldogs in six

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.

Soumis pitched six innings, striking out five, walking two, and giving up 16 hits.

At the plate, Collard went 3-for-4 with one run scored. Right fielder Sophie Hebert went 2-for-4 with one run scored. Both had a double each.

Switzer also went 3-for-4 with three RBI.

Emmy Pietila had two hits, one of which was a triple. Soumis and Moyle also had two hits each.

Sleeman and Burns each had one hit.

Hancock pitchers Sadie and Lucy Biekkola split the game in the circle for the win. Sofie Freeman, Brooke Koskela, Sadie Biekkola, Lucy Biekkola, Mallory Sporalski, and Tia Pelto all had two hits each.

Kaelyn Rouleau, Romey Koskela, Diem Kilpela, Alice Larson, and Chloe Bastian each had a hit.