JB’s Sales and Service pitcher Lucy Biekkola begins her pitch during a quarterfinal game against Superior Service Monday at the Houghton High School Field. (Daver Karnosky/Daily Mining Gazette)

HOUGHTON — With a huge smile on her face, Raili Therrian could not contain how proud she was Monday night at the Houghton High School Field after her Superior Service squad won their Copper Country Women’s Fastpitch softball quarterfinal matchup against JB’s Sales and Service, 11-9.

“We’re excited because we never, never win in playoffs,” she said.

Therrian’s team struggled through the first half of the summer season before finally breaking through after midseason. From there, they won enough games to earn the higher seed for their matchup against JB’s.

“(We’re) feeling a lot better,” she said. “Definitely, (in the) second half of the season, we turned it around. We had, I think, four wins in the second half of the season, and I think that was just a lot of good momentum going into this game.”

It was, by no means easy. Superior Service struck five times in the second inning, only to see JB’s storm back and take a 6-5 lead. From there, Superior Service regained the lead at 7-6, only to see JB’s answer back and take a new lead at 9-7 before a four-run sixth inning tilted the field back in Superior Service’s favor for good.

“We did give up a few runs,” Therrian said, “but, ultimately, we had our bats going, too, so it was good.”

Josie Heinonen struggled through a tough stretch in the top of the sixth in the pitcher’s circle, which gave JB’s back the lead after Superior Service had taken the 7-6 lead in the fourth.

She surrendered a single to Morgan Vandiver with one out. Then a passed ball moved Vandiver into scoring position. Lucy Biekkola was hit by a pitch before Kenzie Ekdahl walked to load the bases. Kenzie Collard then cleared the bases with a triple to center field, giving her team a 9-7 advantage.

Heinonen had a chance in the bottom half of the inning to make up for her struggles in the circle.

With one out, Millie Loukus singled. Gracie Moyle followed with a single. Therrian then singled, loading the bases. Heinonen stepped to the plate and drilled a ball into right field, bringing Loukus and Moyle home to tie the game. Jordan Holombo walked to load the bases again, and a single by Dela Jeffery brought both Therrian and Heinonen home and put the game out of reach.

“She always pulls through for us,” said Therrian, when asked about Heinonen answering for her own struggles quickly, “so I had a lot of confidence in her.”

JB’s got on the board first in the top of the second inning. With one out, Abby Hampton reached on a fielder’s choice. Vandiver then reached on an error, and Hampton scored on the play.

Superior Service responded with a big bottom half of the inning.

Heinonen singled to right field to lead off. Two batters later, Dela Jeffery walked. Isabelle Cleary walked to load the bases. Molly Bugni singled, which brought Heinonen home. Two batters after that, Loukus singled to left field, scoring Jeffery. Moyle followed with a single that brought both Cleary and Bugni home. A passed ball scored Loukus, and suddenly Superior Service led 5-1.

JB’s needed a quick response and they got it in the third.

Biekkola singled. Ekdahl laid down a bunt and reached. Sophia Hampton reached on a fielder’s choice where Ekdahl scored. Romy Aldrich then doubled, scoring Hampton and suddenly the lead was down to two, 5-3.

In the fourth, JB’s continued to chip away. Abby Hampton led off with a single to right field before stealing second. She moved to third on a passed ball before Vandiver walked. A passed ball scored Hampton. Ava Giachino then walked. Lucy Biekkola reached on a defensive error, scoring Vandiver. Biekkola later scored on a passed ball and suddenly her team led 6-5.

In the bottom half of the inning, Superior Service regained what they had lost. Cleary led off with a single to center field. Bugni then singled to center as well. Two batters later, Loukus singled to load the bases. Two batters after that, Therrian singled to right field, scoring both Cleary and Bugni.

With the win, Superior Service earned the right to face Finnish Coat in the nightcap. They lost that game, ending their season.

Superior Service catcher Gracie Moyle connects with a pitch from JB’s Sales and Service pitcher Lucy Biekkola during a quarterfinal game Monday at the Houghton High School Field. (Daver Karnosky/Daily Mining Gazette)