Portage Lake Little League All-Stars pitcher Avery Pietila prepares to deliver a pitch during the opening game of the Little League Minors District 11 softball tournament against Marquette Saturday at the Houghton High School field. (Daver Karnosky/Daily Mining Gazette)

HOUGHTON — With hits by seven of their nine batters, and those seven also scoring at least one run each, the Portage Lake Little League Minors All-Stars softball team earned an 11-1 win over Marquette Saturday morning to open District 11 tournament play at the Houghton High School field.

Allie Mettlach, Anna Hanson, and McKinley Soli all scored twice as Portage Lake got contributions throughout their lineup.

“It felt really good to get a win,” said Portage Lake manager Phil Pietila. “The girls really showed up today. The hitting was spectacular. We hit the ball really well today, which was a difference in the game.”

Getting contributions in several different spots in the lineup made the success possible.

“Certainly Anna Hanson hit really well, Raegan Riley, Ivy Biekkola towards the bottom of the order,” Phil Pietila said. “All the girls hit it well for the most part and our defense is really strong.”

For Marquette, whether the change in the game’s start time to four hours earlier than originally scheduled, or it was the holiday weekend, the team struggled at the plate, getting no-hit by the combination of Avery Pietila and Mettlach.

“With the team we have, with the time change and it being the holiday, they’re not as awake as they normally are,” said Marquette manager Jen Anderson. “So, I have a feeling we’ll come back tomorrow (Sunday), they’ll be more awake, more with it, and it’ll be a different game.”

Her team did manage a pair of walks, one of which led to a run, but baserunners were at a premium all game long.

“The energy was there,” Anderson said. “They were making contact. They were swinging. We just have to make a little bit more contact, and get some better throws in there.”

With the tournament being a double elimination format, Marquette had a chance Sunday to make up for the rough start.

“Marquette’s a good team,” said Phil Pietila. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see them again in this tournament, but we’ll take the win for sure.”

Avery Pietila got the start for Portage Lake, and she went four innings, striking out seven and walking two. Both walks came back-to-back in the second inning to Ada Mohrman and Penelope Harris. Mohrman came around to score Marquette’s lone run on a passed ball that got away from Soli at home plate.

“She (Avery) was trying to find her changeup,” said Phil Pietila, her father. “She didn’t have it the first inning there, and once she found it, she was a little more consistent, had a little more confidence pitching.”

Mettlach came in and threw one inning in relief, striking out one.

“It’s huge,” Phil Pietila said. “When you play in the All-Stars, having two pitchers is a big advantage. It gives the batters a different look with a new pitcher. I think as we go down the stretch, it’s going to be important that both of them are on.”

Portage Lake got to work with two out in the bottom of the first inning. Hanson drew a walk. Riley doubled to center field, bringing Hanson home. Miina Heinonen then singled to center field, which scored Riley. Soli then singled to right field to knock in Heinonen and the hosts led 3-0 at that point.

With one out in the second, Biekkola singled to right field. She stole second and then scored on a passed ball, which made it 4-1 in favor of Portage Lake after two innings.

In the bottom of the third, they continued their assault. Mettlach led off by reaching on a defensive error. She continued to second on the play. Hanson then tripled to deep right field, scoring Mettlach. Two batters later, Heinonen brought Hanson home on a sacrifice.

Soli singled to center field before stealing second and third. Kyle Helminen walked, putting runners on the corners. Helminen then stole second to put runners in scoring position. Soli scored on a passed ball, and Portage Lake led 7-1 at that point.

In the fourth, Mettlach knocked a one-out single to right field and got to second on an error. Two batters later, Riley singled to center field, scoring Mettlach.

The bottom of the fourth inning had been interrupted by rain, but it seemed to hold off for the fifth. It also did nothing to slow the Portage Lake bats.

Soli led off with a double to right center field. She stole second and then scored on a passed ball. Helminen singled to right field before stealing second. Biekkola then singled to second base, scoring Helminen. Biekkola got to second on a defensive error. She stole third on a passed ball and then scored on another one, which triggered the mercy rule to end the game.

Portage Lake Little League All-Stars second baseman Raegan Riley makes a catch on a fly ball during the opening game of the Little League Minors District 11 softball tournament against Marquette Saturday at the Houghton High School field. (Daver Karnosky/Daily Mining Gazette)