Kingsford left fielder Kylie Mitchell chases down a fly ball against Ishpeming on Monday, May 14, 2018, in Kingsford, Mich. (Adam Niemi/Iron Mountain Daily News)

KINGSFORD — The Flivvers took a big lead early and held on in the second game to salvage a doubleheader split against Ishpeming on Monday.

Kingsford staged a furious comeback in the fifth inning of the first game facing a 12-1 deficit, scoring eight runs. It wasn’t enough as the Hematites held on for a 13-10 win. Kingsford stormed back in the second game and held Ishpeming to three hits in an 11-1 win.

Kingsford wasn’t playing the fundamental brand of ball in the first game that it’s been known for in recent years. Down by 11 runs, head coach Kevin Murdock addressed the team midway through the game.

“Halfway through that first game I kind of chewed them out,” Murdock said. “I said they’re trying to embarrass you right now. They’re trying to 10-run you and embarrass you. That’s not how we want to play. So either you fight back or you can get embarrassed. They fought back. Between the games it was congratulations, you showed the heart I wanted to see. We’ll take that as a win then. Very happy with their performance in the second game.”

In the second game, Kingsford’s bats came alive right away.

Kylie Mitchell went 1 for 3 with a three-run home run in the third inning of the second game. Molly Wahoviak had a two-run triple. Curtis, Teagan Petschar and Liz Cross each had an RBI.

Emily Curtis pitched for the Flivvers and gave up an unearned run on three hits with a walk and two strikeouts. She threw just 64 pitches in six innings.

“Emily pitched a great game,” Murdock said. “She kept them off-balance, hit her spots. I was very pleased with her performance tonight.”

Cassie Barglind started on the mound for the Flivvers in the first game. She was tagged for six runs (four earned) with three walks and two strikeouts. She was taken out after the first inning.

“Cassie, I don’t know if she pitched too much over the last week or whatever, but she was just a little different than her normal self,” Murdock said of Kingsford’s 13 games in the last eight days. “We had to make a switch and unfortunately we were down the six runs with that.”

Maggie Strehlow pitched the rest of the game for Kingsford, giving up seven runs (three earned) on seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts.

Samantha Maycunich went 1 for 3 with three RBIs for the Flivvers. Curtis and Barglind — who hit 3 for 5 — had two RBIs apiece.

First game

Ishpeming 330 421 0 — 13 8 2

Kingsford 010 081 0 — 10 7 8

Second game

Ishpeming 000 100 — 1 3 4

Kingsford 043 013 — 11 9 1