HANCOCK — Pitcher Ben Keranen had a huge opening game in a baseball doubleheader between the Hancock Bulldogs and the Westwood Patriots. He helped the Bulldogs to a 1-0 win in the opener, and he drew three walks in the nightcap, but Hancock lost that game, 7-3, at the Hancock Driving Park Thursday.

The Bulldogs improved to 9-3 with the split.

In the opening game, Keranen outdueled future Michigan Tech men’s basketball player Ethan Marta on the mound. He went six innings, striking out 14, with no walks, and only one hit against. He also went 2-for-2 at the plate, scoring the game’s only run.

Marta did what he could to match, striking out three and surrendering four hits.

Keranen struck out two and forced a fly out in the top of the first inning. However, Hancock also went down 1-2-3 in the bottom half of the inning.

Keranen repeated his feat in the top of the second inning, striking out two around a pop out.

Then, in the bottom half of the inning, he chipped in offensively.

He led off with a single to left field. With right fielder Braydon Larson at the plate, Keranen made his way to third on a wild pitch. Two batters later, first baseman Isaac Wanhala drove a ball out to center field, which brought Keranen home.

Keranen then struck out the side to start the third inning. In the top of the fourth, he faced four batters, but only because he hit one.

He struck out the side again in the top of the fifth. He faced four batters in the sixth, because he surrendered a double to Patriots centerfielder Louis Salmi. However, he struck out the other three batters he faced, which kept the Patriots from evening things.

In the nightcap, Westwood broke a scoreless tie in the top of the third inning. Hancock got one run back in the fourth, cutting the Patriots’ lead in half, 2-1. After five innings, the score was 3-2 in favor of Westwood, before they exploded for four runs in the top of the sixth to put the game out of reach.

In the top of the third, the Patriots got started with Jacob Ridl reaching first on an error. Roman Yuhas was hit by a pitch. Two batters later, Marta got his revenge for the opening game by reaching on an error, scoring both runners to put Westwood up 2-0.

It stayed that way until the bottom of the fourth.

Third baseman Caleb Isaacson walked to lead off for Hancock. Wanhala singled to short. Two batters later, catcher Luciano Paoli singled to center field, scoring Isaacson.

Westwood responded in the top of the fifth when Marta doubled to left field, knocking in Mason Burke who doubled to left just prior to Marta’s at bat.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Bulldogs got one back. With one out, Keranen walked. He made it third on an error when Yuhas tried to pick him off. Then Larson hit a sacrifice fly to bring him home.

In the top of the sixth, the Patriots scored four times. The first came off the bat of Marta, who reached on an error to score Salmi. Marta later stole home to make it 7-2 for the Patriots.

The Bulldogs got one run back in the bottom half of the inning.

Left fielder Evan Pennala singled to lead off. He was tagged out two batters later when shortstop Connor Helminen hit into a fielder’s choice. Centerfielder Todd Kilpela then singled to first. Second baseman Chase Keranen was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Ben Keranen then walked, bringing home Helminen.

Unfortunately, Larson popped out to end the inning and the game.

Nate Thompson got the start for Hancock, going three innings. He struck out three, walked three, and gave up no hits. Isaacson went three innings in relief, taking the loss. He struck out four, walked four, and surrendered five hits.