The Lake Linden-Hubbell softball team poses after winning the District 98 title Friday over Hancock at the Bill Givens Field in Hancock. The Lakes are: Jovie Daniels, Alli Corrigan, Kyara Mills, Ashlyn Steves, Ella Schneiderhan, Lissa Johnson, Cleo Milkey, Alison Crouch, Emily Jokela, Paige Griffin, Hailey Crouch, Emma Kotila, Riley Trezona and Payton Goldsworthy. They are coached by Curtis Kinnunen, Andrew Goldsworthy, Kara Kinnunen and Olivia Shank. (Daver Karnosky/Daily Mining Gazette)

HANCOCK — For the seniors on the Lake Linden-Hubbell Lakes softball team, Friday afternoon was a long time coming. The Hancock Bulldogs had won five straight district titles, and the Lakes were stuck facing them year in and year out.

Friday, at the Bill Givens Field, the Lakes finally broke through, earning a 9-5 win over the Bulldogs to win the District 98 title.

“It feels great,” said Lakes coach Curtis Kinnunen. “It seems like every single year we were playing Hancock, and we were always coming up short. Then this year, we’ve won. It feels great.”

The win meant even a little bit more to the Lakes because they slayed their dragon on its home turf. The Bulldogs had beaten the Lakes for the district title last season at the Boneyard in Lake Linden.

“They’ve won it on our field,” Kinnunen said, “so it felt good to win it on theirs.”

Hancock had jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first inning. Left fielder Sofie Freeman reached safely on a dropped third strike to lead off. With catcher Brooke Koskela at the plate two batters later, Freeman came home on a wild pitch.

That advantage was short-lived, however, as the Lakes scored four runs in the bottom half of the first and never looked back. Pitcher Emily Jokela led off with a double to right field. Shortstop Payton Goldsworthy was intentionally walked, putting two runners on base quickly. Center fielder Ashlyn Steves then singled to center field to bring Jokela home. Third baseman Cleo Milkey then walked to load the bases. First baseman Alli Corrigan brought home Goldsworthy and Steves when she reached on an error and suddenly the Lakes led 3-1.

Two batters later, left fielder Ella Schneiderhan reached on an error, scoring Milkey.

The Lakes never looked back from there, no matter how hard Hancock worked to get back into the game.

“We were happy to get a run there in the first inning, but then they came back and got four, stole the momentum kind of right from the get go there,” said Bulldogs coach Craig Biekkola. ‘Then they kept adding to the lead.

“We chipped away at it a couple of times, but we just never got close enough there to where I think it made them uncomfortable. We attempted to do small ball today, and we didn’t get the bunts down that we needed to, or in the spots that we needed to make it work.”

At the same time, the Lakes played with a lineup that was different from what they had used all season, with Jokela leading off and Goldsworthy hitting second, rather than their traditional third and fourth spots, respectively.

“I just figured they were going to always walk Emily and Payton,” Kinnunen said. “If you want to put (them) on a base right away, go ahead. All of our girls have been hitting all year long. They’ve been hitting, pounding the ball.”

The Lakes’ dynamic duo finished 3-for-4 with two home runs, three RBI and five runs scored between the two of them, along with three walks.

In the bottom of the second inning, the Lakes added to their lead. Jokela was hit by a pitch. Goldsworthy hit a two-run home run to left field. Two batters later, Milkey reached on an error and she scored when Corrigan singled to right field, making it 7-1.

Hancock got two back in the top of the third. Freeman laid down a bunt and reached first safely. Two batters later, Brooke Koskela did the same thing, which brought Freeman around to score. Pitcher Sadie Biekkola then singled to right field to bring Koskela home. Biekkola was caught trying to steal third to end the inning, but the Bulldogs were back within four, 7-3.

Jokela answered with two outs in the bottom of third as she drove a ball over the left field fence. Goldsworthy was intentionally walked, but two batters later, a ground out ended the inning.

Trailing at that point, 8-3, the Bulldogs switched pitchers from Sadie Biekkola to Lucy Biekkola. The Lakes held that five-run advantage into the bottom of the sixth before they added another run. Steves led off with a single to center field. Two batters later, Corrigan flew out to right field, but Steves scored on the play.

Needing a spark in the top of the seventh, the Bulldogs turned to two straight freshmen in Lucy Biekkola and second baseman Romey Koskela. Biekkola flew out to center, but Koskelak singled. Catcher Alice Larson reached on an error, and Hancock had runners on the corners. Emily L’Esperance reached on an error, which allowed both Koskela and Larson to score and the Bulldogs were back within four, 9-5. However, a strikeout and a fly out ended the game.

Jokela threw a complete game to earn the win. She struck out 16, walked one, and surrendered just four hits.

“She pitched the lights out tonight,” said Kinnunen. “Payton pitched lights out in the first game too. So, having two real good pitches like that, it’s nice. It’s a luxury.”

Craig Biekkola praised the way the Lakes played.

“Hats off to Lake Lindon,” he said. “They played better than we did today. They executed better than us today. Wish that we were continuing on, but that’s the way it goes.”

Biekkola also praised the efforts of his senior class, who were part of three straight district titles.

“They set the bar really high for our program with all the district championships, and a couple of regional championships,” he said. “They’ve been successful in softball, and a bunch of them in volleyball and basketball as well. They’re all good athletes, good kids. I wish that we had an opportunity for them to play another game.”

For the Lakes, the win was their first district title.

“We’re really excited, because we’ve never had to (move on),” Kinnunen said. “So, it will be different.”

Lakes roll to win over Purple Hornets

Goldsworthy threw a one-hitter with 10 strikeouts in the Lakes’ semifinal matchup against the L’Anse Purple Hornets. They scored six runs in the first inning and never looked back, winning 16-1.

The lone Purple Hornets run came in the second when Willow Rexford broke up the no-hitter with a single and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Tori Ahola.

Lake Linden opened the bottom of the first with doubles from Steves, Milkey and Jokela. Goldsworthy singled, Corrigan reached on an error. All five hitters scored. Schneiderhan reached on a fielder’s choice and later scored.

In the second inning, Milkey doubled before Jokela hit a two-run home run just inside the foul pole on the first base line. Goldsworthy followed with a home run over the center field fence. Corrigan singled and later scored as the Lakes took a 10-1 lead.

In the third, right fielder Lissa Johnson singled. Steves doubled to the center field fence. Then Milkey walked to load the bases. Jokela cleared the bases with a triple to the right field fence. Goldsworthy walked before a passed ball scored Jokela. Goldsworthy then scored on a passed ball as well to make it 15-1 at that point.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Lakes got the last run they needed to end the game. Steves reached on an error. Milkey singled to left field. Jokela then singled to center, which scored Steves to end the game.

Up next

The Lakes advance to the Region 25 Tournament on Saturday, June 7, in Ishpeming. They will face Superior Central in the first semifinal at 11 a.m. The other semifinal will feature Norway and Bessemer. The winners will play at 3 p.m. for the championship.