Hancock pitcher Ben Keranen (18) welcomes centerfielder Todd Kilpela (7) home as second baseeman Chase Keranen (14) readies to bat during a game Wednesday against Houghton at the Hanocck Driving Park. (Eddie O’Neill/For the Gazette)

HANCOCK — The Hancock Bulldogs won their fourth victory in five days Wednesday, and it was a significant one. The 12-2 victory by the Bulldogs was for the Copper Swing over their cross-canal rivals, the Houghton Gremlins.

The game ended in the bottom of the sixth with the mercy rule as third baseman Brayden Larson crossed home on a wild pitch.

Wednesday’s matchup was quite a contrast to the first time these two foes played in late April. In that first meeting, the Gremlins swept their opponent with wins of 11-4 and 5-4. This time Hancock (13-3) had the upper hand as they played nearly flawless baseball in the field.

“This was a complete-game win,” said Hancock coach Luke Paul. “We had just one error in the field. I told the guys that Houghton is a good team, and we have to play a good game and make the routine plays, and we did.”

Paul credited good at-bats for his team as key. It started in the first with centerfielder Todd Kilpela getting a single and eventually scoring on a second baseman Chase Keranen sacrifice fly to center. It was a 1-0 Bulldogs’ lead after one.

That morphed into a 6-0 lead with a five-run Hancock second. All five runs started with a walk issued by Houghton starter Brycyn Nettell. The Bulldogs should have had six in that inning, but one was taken away due to an odd error on the base paths by slugger pitcher Benny Keranen.

With bases loaded, Keranen blasted a deep-fly ball over the left-center fence that should have been a grand slam. However, in his excitement, he bypassed his cousin Chase Keranen on the way to second, and became out No. 2. The play resulted in a rare, three-run grand slam.

He made up for it though on the mound. The right-hander allowed five hits and two runs (zero earned) over four and one-third innings. He struck out seven and walked just one.

“Benny threw strikes and was ahead of the hitters,” Paul said. “That is what we need. He gets the game ball.”

The Gremlins scored two in the third. Rightfielder Max Bier had a lead-off double and centerfielder Joel Durocher followed with a single–both scored. That is where their scoring started and ended.

The Bulldogs added one more in the fourth and took a 7-2 lead into the bottom of the sixth. In that frame, the Hancock nine scratched out a 10-run win with five runs off of three singles and four walks.

“This was a good win,” added Paul. “We fixed what needed to be fixed and played good baseball.”

Up next

Both teams will take the field on Saturday at the Bostwick Tournament at Houghton High School.

Houghton pitcher Rylan Issacson throws from the mound during a game Wednesday against Hancock at the Hancock Driving Park. (Eddie O’Neill/For the Gazette)