Gold Standard stays golden with softball title win
Defeats Northern Wishes 5-2
Trending
LAKE LINDEN -- Gold Standard softball capped off a perfect Copper Country Women’s Fastpitch season with a 5-2 win over Northern Wishes in the title game. It was win number 10 for them with zero losses.
With it, they raised the Holly McCullah Memorial Trophy as victors for the 2026 season.
This was not an easy win for the girls in white.
While they took a 1-0 lead after three innings, Northern Wishes posted two tallies in the fifth and led 2-1 headed into the sixth inning. Scoring in that fifth inning were Meg Ruohonen and Janet Mattila. Ruohonen had a base hit and Mattila walked.
It was a rare occasion this season where Gold Standard was behind with just six outs to go. Was Gold Standard coach Curt Kinnunen worried? A little he admitted.
"However, once we got our bats going, we were set," he said. "We had good pitching throughout the season. That included Emily Jokela, Olivia Shank and Payton Goldsworthy.
"As well, we hit the ball well all season."
Their sixth inning comeback victory started with a walk to Jokela. Taylor Goldsworthy laid down a bunt and got on. Then stepped up her sister Payton in the number four spot, and Northern Wishes decided to walk her and load the bases in hopes of double play, but it didn’t work.
In the number five spot was Shank, and she slugged a double, scoring two. A passed ball and then a fielder’s choice allowed Payton Goldsworthy and Shank to touch home.
Gold Standard held that three-run gap heading into the top of the seventh.
It did not go well for Northern Wishes as Mattila and Pearl Raffelli both struck out. Then Svea Johnson grounded out to the pitcher to end their season.
Payton Goldsworthy earned the complete-game victory from the circle with nine strikeouts and just three walks.
"This was a good season," said Kinnunen. "I am proud of the girls. They worked hard."