Hancock's Evan Pennala throws from the mound in a game against Lake Linden-Hubbell Wednesday at the Hancock Driving Park. (Eddie O’Neill/For the Gazette)

HANCOCK — What a difference a day makes in Hancock baseball. On Tuesday, the Bulldogs fell apart in a doubleheader loss to the Houghton Gremlins at the Hancock Driving Park. Wednesday, they turned the tables and won easily against the Lake Linden-Hubbell Lakes. The opener was a 15-0 win in just three innings. They won the second game 8-2.

“Today we did everything right,” stated a happy Luke Paul, coach of the Bulldogs. “We put the ball in play, and our pitchers threw strikes. The big thing though was that we made the routine plays in the field.”

In the opener, the Bulldogs (6-2) held the Lakes to just one hit (from Blake Lebo) while they posted 15 runs in just three innings and invoked the mercy rule.

The hit parade started in the bottom of the first with three runs. Todd Kilpela walked. Chase Keranen walked and Isaac Wanhala got a hit up the middle. All three touched home.

In the second frame, they added 10 more runs. Errors in the field and wild pitches contributed to four Bulldog runs. A Chase Keranen single scored two runs as did a Todd Kilpela inside-the-park home run.

Up now 13-0, they closed the door in the third with RBI walks to Nate Thompson and Daniel Sturos. It was two of 12 walks issued by Lakes’ pitching.

Thompson earned the win for the Bulldogs. He gave up just one hit and no walks and struck out three along the way in two innings. Todd Kilpela closed it out for the Bulldogs with three strike outs in the third.

Brad Davis took the loss for the Lakes.

The second game was a little more competitive with the Lakes avoiding a two-game shutout by scoring one run each in the fourth and fifth innings.

The Bulldogs started early with a four-run first. Triples by Chase Keranen and Ben Keranen led to two runs. Brayden Larson singled and Trent Pietila doubled and eventually crossed home plate.

They added two more in the second to make it 6-0. An inside-the-park home run by Pietila in the fifth scored runs seven and eight.

Weston Mahrley, Brody Rust and Isaac Johnson all had hits for the Lakes. Lebo and Landon Gibson each drove in runs for the Lakes.

Hancock’s Evan Pennala earned the win for the Bulldogs. He gave up just one hit and no runs in his three innings of work. He struck out three Lakes and walked none. Ted Kilpela made his pitching debut for the Bulldogs going three innings and giving up tow runs.

Mahrley suffered the loss for the Lakes. He surrendered eight runs on nine hits. He struck out six and walked three.

“This was a team win,” said Paul. “I think everybody had a hit and got on base, and our pitchers threw strikes.”

Up next

The Bulldogs will welcome the Calumet Copper Kings for a 4 p.m. doubleheader on Friday.