Finnish Coat first baseman Brynn Arko throws the ball back to her pitcher Josie Switzer during a semifinal game against Superior Service Monday at the Houghton High School Field. (Daver Karnosky/Daily Mining Gazette)

HOUGHTON — As the higher seed entering Monday night’s Copper Country Women’s Fastpitch softball semifinal game, Finnish Coat was the favorite to win and advance to Wednesday’s final at the Boneyard in Lake Linden. They jumped all over a tired Superior Service squad to the tune of an 8-1 lead through four innings.

However, Superior Service found a second wind in the later innings. They cut the lead down to 8-4, but could not get any closer, falling 11-6 at the Houghton High School Field.

With the win, Finnish Coat has earned a crack at Northern Wishes in the championship game after they rolled over top-seeded Gold Standard, 9-0.

Finnish Coat player-coach Brynn Arko was very excited to see her team figure things out Monday night.

“We really needed this,” she said. “We had a lot of our regulars gone, so now they’ll all be back for Wednesday.”

Eight of the nine hitters Finnish Coat put on the field got on base in some way and seven of the eight scored at least one run.

Kia Markham had a pair of singles, Ryleigh Johnson had two as well. Josie Switzer had one. Arko reached on an error. Ashlee Johnson drew two walks and had a single. Cali Hodges walked twice. Kayleigh Carlson had three singles. Vaeda Brooks walked and later singled.

“I think all of us were hitting great,” said Arko. “We had barely any strikeouts. Everyone was hitting, and that’s something we struggle with sometimes. So, it’s great to see everyone’s bats were on.

“Everyone played their part today, and that’s why we got the win.”

Meanwhile, on the other side of the field, Superior Service, who got to the semifinal game by defeating JB’s Sales and Service in a quarterfinal game, struggled in the first half of the game after Millie Loukus singled and scored in the top of the first inning. After that, Superior Service only managed four baserunners until the fifth inning.

“I think we definitely started off slow, and that kind of hurt us a lot,” said player-coach Raili Therrian. “Our energy picked up a little bit in the second half, but (we) just couldn’t come back.”

Loukus opened the game with a single, but got to second on an error. She was brought home quickly as Gracie Moyle sacrificed to knock her in.

It did not take Finnish Coat long to answer. With one out in the bottom half of the inning, Ryleigh Johnson singled. She stole second and a passed ball moved her to third. Switzer then walked. Arko sacrificed to bring Johnson home and even the score.

In the second inning, the rested Finnish Coat squad found its groove. Hodges drew a walk. Carlson singled to right field, which scored Hodges. Then Brooks walked, ending the start of Isabelle Cleary for Superior Service as Josie Heinonen came in to relieve her.

Emma Kargela sacrificed to move both runners into scoring position before Markham laid down a bunt and reached first safely. Carlson scored on the play. A Ryleigh Johnson sacrifice fly then brought Brooks home to make it 4-1.

In the bottom of the third, Finnish Coat continued its relentless assault.

Arko reached on a defensive error. Ashlee Johnson and Hodges both walked to load the bases with Carlson coming up. She singled to right field, scoring Arko and Johnson. A passed ball then brought Hodges home to make it 7-1.

Finnish Coat added another in the bottom of the fourth. Ryleigh Johnson led off with a single to third. Switzer then singled to left field. Two batters later, Ashlee Johnson singled, scoring Ryleigh.

Superior Service desperately needed something to go their way in the fifth, and it started with a one-out walk drawn by Lola Cichosz. Loukus then singled to left field. Moyle walked to load the bases. Therrian reached on a fielder’s choice, which scored Cichosz, but Loukus was tagged at third. With two runners on, Heinonen doubled to the center field fence, bringing Moyle and Therrian home and cutting the lead down to four, 8-4.

Looking to bar the door at that point, Finnish Coat answered in the bottom half of the inning.

Brooks singled to center field before stealing second. Two batters later, Markham singled, putting runners on the corners. She then stole second, putting both runners into scoring position. Ryleigh Johnson singled to load the bases with Switzer coming to bat.

Switzer singled to left field and managed to bring both Brooks and Markham home before settling in at second base before everything came to an end. Arko then singled to bring Johnson home, and suddenly they were back up by seven, 11-4.

Superior Service had six outs left to work with. Right away, they got to work. Dela Jeffery singled to right field. Jordan Holombo walked. A passed ball moved the runners into scoring position. Molly Bugni walked, which loaded the bases. Cichosz hit into a double play, but the inning continued. Loukus doubled to left field and took off running. A defensive error allowed Holombo and Bugni to both score and Loukus to get to third. However, Moyle struck out to end the inning with her team back within five. From there, they could not add another run before the final out was called in the seventh.

Cleary and Heinonen combined to fan two over the course of the game. Switzer racked up seven for Finnish Coat in a complete-game win.

Looking for one more win

Arko knows defeating Northern Wishes on Wednesday will be no easy task.

“We’re going to have to have everyone show up and be hitting,” she said. “They’re a hard team. Their defense is great.”

The game is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. at the Boneyard.