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Softball: Knights drop pair to Miners

11 errors in doubleheader

Norway shortstop Kali Stanchina, left, receives the throw from catcher Allie Sheski as Negaunee’s Allie Ennett, right, steals on Friday, April 26, 2019, in Norway, Mich. Norway’s Cassidy Menard, far left, backs up the play. (Adam Niemi/Iron Mountain Daily News)

NORWAY – It just wasn’t Norway’s day.

Negaunee rolled with a 26-run day to sweep Norway in a non-conference doubleheader on Friday.

The Miners (6-2) won the first game 14-1 and the second 12-5.

Norway made 11 errors on the day.

Negaunee scored 12 runs in the first two innings of the first game.

“Game one I’d really like to forget. They beat us in all facets of the game,” Norway head coach Bob Bal said. “You’ve seen it – it was a comedy of errors. We’re way better than that and I told the girls between games we need to clean it up. Negaunee’s a good team, but we don’t need to give five-, six-, seven-out innings.”

The Knights (4-4) made five errors in the first game and six in the second.

Negaunee did its part to challenge Norway’s defense with 20-30 mph gusts blowing left to right all day. And the Miners did it with basically their junior varsity team.

“I’m really pleased. It’s prom weekend for us this weekend,” Negaunee head coach Randy Carlson said. “We had three varsity players and nine JVs we brought down for today. I thought the girls played really well. I couldn’t be happier. We hit the ball well, we fielded well, we pitched well. Good effort all around.”

Morgan Carlson had two doubles in the first game for Negaunee. Skylar Hall and Katelyn Lammi doubled. Larissa Anderson tripled.

“The conditions are pretty wild. Both teams made some plays out there that I was surprised with myself,” Coach Carlson said. “This is as windy as you’re going to be able to play in. We hit them a lot of fly balls before the game and kind of told them where the ball is going to drift and carry. As far as condition wise, it was about as well played on both sides as you’re going to get.”

Averie Popp and Mariah Gyselinck had Norway’s only hits in the first game. Gyselinck’s double scored Haley Clifford in the fourth inning.

In the second game, the Knights’ offense came alive a little more with a two-run third and a run in each of the final three innings.

Kali Stanchina was 2 for 3 with a walk in the second game. Ada VanHolla was 2 for 4. Clifford was 2 for 3 and Holly Mattia had a hit.

The Knights had runners on second and third with two outs and Stanchina batting. She hit a drive down the right field line that was foul by inches. She struck out to end a threat that, if the hit were fair, could have made it a two-run game.

“We had chances,” Bal said. “We had runners at second and third. We struck out too many times today.”

Norway batters struck out nine times in the second game and seven times in the first game.

Hall pitched the first game for Negaunee.

“She’s our ace and she’s been pitching great all year,” Carlson said. “Out of the four games she’s pitched I think she’s had three one-hitters. Once a game, somebody will get her. She’s been pitching solid. The second game we had two of our JV pitchers and they were solid also. I couldn’t be happier.”

Anderson started on the mound for Negaunee in the second game.

Gyselinck pitched the first game for the Knights and her younger sister Kassi pitched the nightcap.

Bal said the team has to go back to fundamentals to rejuvenate the offense.

“We need to get back to the basics,” Bal said. “We need to go back to the tee work. All we’re doing is getting practice in games. We need batting practice in the gym.”

Norway’s next game is home against Munising on Thursday, May 2. Negaunee plays Ishpeming on Tuesday.

Game 1

Negaunee 570 11 – 14

Norway 000 10 – 1

Game 2

Negaunee 203 311 2 – 12

Norway 002 011 1 – 5

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