Lake Linden-Hubbell senior Emily Jokela winds up to throw a pitch in the MHSAA Division 4 Regional semifinal Saturday at the Ishpeming Playgrounds. (Matt McCarthy photo) 

ISHPEMING — After winning their first MHSAA district championship in school history, the Lake Linden-Hubbell softball team looked to also to bring their first regional trophy back to Houghton County. In convincing fashion, the Lakes defeated Superior Central (21-5), 15-4, in six innings in the opening semifinal Saturday at the Ishpeming Playgrounds. 

Lakes freshman Payton Goldsworthy toed the mound for the duration of the game recording 11 strikeouts and allowing only two hits. Goldsworthy helped her own cause with a grand slam home run in the Lakes nine run fifth inning. 

The round-tripper was Goldsworthy’s 14th of the season. 

“Payton pitched well, the whole team played well. We did what we needed to do to put ourselves into the championship game later today,” said Lakes coach Curtis Kinnunen. 

Grand Valley State University track and field recruit Emily Jokela of Lake Linden-Hubbell showed her blazing speed in the top of the third inning. 

With a line drive down the right field line, Jokela was already round second base by the time Cougars right fielder Kianna Perron fielded the ball. Jokela ended up with an inside-the-park home run on the play, extending the Lakes lead to, 4-0. 

The bottom of the third inning was an eventful for Superior Central, as junior first baseman Addie Frusti cranked a three-run home run to right-center field to tie the game at 4-4 after the Cougars had already plated a run on two Lake Linden errors. 

After a quiet fourth inning for both teams, the Lakes (26-4) batted around in the aforementioned top of the fifth inning, a total of 11 players batted in the inning recording six hits, which essentially put the game out of reach. 

In addition to the Goldsworthy grand slam in the Lakes’ half of the fifth inning, with the bases loaded, junior Ceo Milkey ended up on third after cracking a three-RBI double to right field. Milkey ended up on third on a Cougars throwing error.

Two pitches later, Jokela smacked an RBI triple scoring Milkey which increased the Lake lead to, 13-4.

Sophomore Ashlyn Steves’ two RBI single in the top of the sixth inning for the Lakes increased the teams lead to, 15-4. 

Superior Central senior Sammy Johnson pitched the duration of the contest for the Cougars, fanning six batters. 

“Sammy battled with her command for most of the game, which in uncharacteristic of her, but she kept fighting,” said Cougars coach Richard Swajanen. “I’m proud of her and I am proud of our whole team, we had a great season.” 

Superior Central, a co-op team with Mid Peninsula, competes in the Skyline Central Conference.

Lakes fall in title game, 2-0

In what turned out to be a pitchers’ dual, the Lakes softball team was shut out, 2-0 by the Gogebic Miners (19-11) in the regional championship game. 

The Lakes (26-5) struggled at the plate in the matchup, only mustering four singles the entire ball game off of the Miners pitching duo of sophomore Olivia Peterson and senior Madison Luzinski. 

“Gogebic played a very good game, they simply had a couple more key hits than we did,” saids Kinnunen. 

Jokela was in the pitching circle for the Lakes in the game, recording 16 strikeouts. Gogebic, a co-op squad including players from Bessemer, Wakefield-Marenesco and Watersmeet, only had three hits in the game. 

Sophomore Kenley Anderson got the Miners on the scoreboard in the top on the opening inning with an RBI single scoring lead off hitter junior Emily Delfavero, who reached base on a walk and stole second base. 

Delfavero also scored the other Gogebic run in the contest. After swinging at a Jokela wild pitch for strike three, Delfavero was able to safely reach first base. 

Advacing to second and then third on a wild pitch and a stolen base respectively, Delfavero then scored on an addition Jokela wild pitch to make the score, 2-0. 

Despite the outcome of the game, Kinnunen expressed that the team has a lot to be proud of.

“We had a phenomenal season. Today was our fifth loss of the season, and for that to come in the regional championship shows the type of season we had,” Kinnunen stated. 

The Lakes say goodbye to two seniors with the season ending defeat. Jokela and first baseman Alli Corrigan.

“We’re very excited to get this win, our first regional championship” said Miners coach Kassi Huotari. “They’re (Lake Linden) are always our biggest rivals, and we can’t ever seem to get past them. But throughout the season, the coaching staff we always tell the girls to stay positive even if they’re striking out, hits will come eventually. Today we got what turned out to be enough even though it was only a couple hits.”

Up next

The Miners will travel to Sault Ste Marie on Tuesday for the MHSAA Quarterfinal game against Hillman (26-7) who defeated Onoway, 22-1, in four innings on Saturday.

Lake Linden-Hubbell senior Alli Corrigan awaits a pitch in the MHSAA Division 4 Regional semifinal Saturday at the Ishpeming Playgrounds. (Matt McCarthy photo)