Portage Lake first baseman Oliver Pennala awaits a pitch during the championship game of the Little League District 11 baseball tournament against Negaunee Friday at the Calumet Legion Field. (Daver Karnosky/Daily Mining Gazette)

CALUMET — Negaunee manager Joe Dost had a message for his team after the top of the fourth inning of the Little League Majors District 11 championship game. He knew his team was battle-tested, and even though Portage Lake had just made it 2-1 in favor of his team, they were going to have to bear down and do what they are used to doing.

They scored six combined runs in the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings to close out the fourth straight district title for his core group, 8-1, at the Calumet Legion Field Friday.

“This team is pretty battle tested,” said Dost. “We’ve been to quite a few different travel tournaments with this group, so we’ve been in some tight games. But to be able to do it, we haven’t been in a tight game in a while, so it’s important to be able to know that when stuff doesn’t go your way, or the game’s a little tighter, that you’re still going to be able to perform.”

It wasn’t easy, by any means.

While starting pitcher Nathan Harvala struck out 12 over 4 2/3 innings, and only gave up one run on four hits and two walks, Portage Lake’ Cal Johnson did what he could to match. Johnson struck out five, walked three and gave up nine hits.

“Hats off to them,” said Joe Dost, when asked about Portage Lake. “Cal Johnson came out and pitched a great game. He had a little more velocity than we’ve seen in a while, but we adjusted. We started getting some barrels. We had some tough luck balls at kids where we hit barrels, and got out, but that’s baseball.”

Portage Lake manager Marty Thompson had nothing but positive things to say about the way Negaunee plays baseball.

“This is a competitive team,” he said. “There’s no doubt about it. This is a team that is built for a state tournament. I mean, listen, if I’m just going to throw it out there, they’re building to get to another state tournament.”

Negaunee was playing on Friday having had a full day of rest thanks to the fact that they had won every game they played before Friday, while Portage Lake played every day since Sunday. However, Marty Thompson was proud of what his team accomplished.

“They battled back,” he said. “They didn’t lose heart. We had the pitching rotation, and we dug deep, and kids like Reid (Kangas) pitched. He kept us in. It was really nice that they did that.

“Then to see them, 2-1, in like a fourth inning or something like that. That was really nice to see these guys battle back and maybe get it, you know? You want to do that for them. It was nice that we didn’t roll over. It makes you feel like we accomplished something. We ended up with a 4-2 record.”

Negaunee jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, thanks to a home run to center field by Harvala, and a double to center field by Thomas Dix, which scored Jonathan Juntti, who had drawn a walk after Harvala’s home run.

The game stayed 2-0 in favor of Negaunee until the top of the fourth, when Portage Lake finally broke through.

Johnson doubled to center to lead off. He stole third. Three batters later, Levi Nordstrom singled to center, which brought Johnson home.

In the bottom of the fourth, the game changed on one big play. The inning started with Gavin Hermes driving a ball to deep right field, but Maxx LaBeske was there to make the catch. Harvala then tripled the right field fence.Juntti reached on a fielder’s choice, which scored Harvala to make it 3-1.

Maddox Halamka walked two batters later, and both he and Juntti stole a base at the same time to put both runners into scoring position. Wyatt Dost walked to load the bases.

That’s when disaster struck for Portage Lake.

Kalen Johnson hit a two out fly ball to left field that eluded every Portage Lake player, and shortly after it hit the ground, Juntti and Harvala crossed home plate.

“It was a good response,” said Joe Dost. “(It) put a little distance between, a little breathing room. Any time the score’s close, kids are a little tighter. So, I think it allowed them to loosen up a little bit, and give us some flexibility there in the last couple of innings.”

Marty Thompson could only watch as the ball dropped safely in front of left fielder Jed Heinonen.

“We were speculating if there was sun in his eyes,” he said. “But (it was) one of the things I didn’t really give him a hard time about. I was like, ‘Just run at those balls,’ kind of build him up for his next at bat.”

Portage Lake had two men on in the top of the fifth after Parker Linna reached on an error and Kangas walked, but a strikeout and a ground out ended the threat.

In the bottom of the fifth, Negaunee put the game out of reach.

Tanner Thompson hit a single to left. Two batters later, Bazil Hill singled to right field. Portage Lake switched from Johnson on the mound to Heinonen. Evan Cardinal greeted Heinonen with a double to center field, loading the bases. Hermes doubled to center field, knocking in Thompson and Hill. Harvala grounded out to third, but not before Cardinal scored to push the lead to seven, where it stayed.

Even though Johnson had a rough final inning, his manager was proud of how he played.

“He did a great job,” Marty Thompson said. “He really kept it together. He’s always been a good pitcher. I like it in Little League when we face him, because we get to see some top pitching, and you don’t always get to see that, and you know what you’re up against.

“He really held us in the game. I give him a lot of credit just for being a team leader, and it’s nice to have that on this team.”

For Negaunee, they have their sights set on the next victory already.

“They’re a veteran group,” said Joe Dost. “This is this group’s fourth consecutive district championship. They’ve been here before. They know what it takes. But, now we’re going to move our sights a little higher when we go down to Saginaw.”

Portage Lake pitcher Cal Johnson delivers a pitch during the championship game of the Little League District 11 baseball tournament against Negaunee Friday at the Calumet Legion Field. (Daver Karnosky/Daily Mining Gazette)