Norway’s Elizabeth Rometti, right, tags out Gladstone’s Tia Schone at third base Saturday during a clash between the girls varsity softball teams in Escanaba. Despite the Knights’ best efforts, the Braves overwhelmed Norway offensively on their way to a commanding 20-7 victory. (Justin St. Ours/Escanaba Daily Press photo)

ESCANABA — After a 10-2 loss to Escanaba on Friday, the Gladstone girls varsity softball team took a page from Esky’s book and jumped ahead early Saturday against Norway as the Braves defeated the Knights 20-7 in Escanaba.

The Braves took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first thanks to shots from Addie Trombley, Tia Schone and Rylee Gerow.

“We’re really pleased with the way our girls responded this morning after yesterday,” Gladstone coach Rick Pepin said. “We had a quick start scoring three runs. We had 25 hits as a team. We had significant contributions from everybody up and down the batting order.”

Norway added one in the bottom of the first when Averie Popp’s line drive to center scored Kali Stanchina.

“Our catcher Averie Popp was three for four and had six RBIs,” Norway coach Robert Bal said. “We hit some good things. Our centerfield played well. We had some nice tag-outs at third base. We dropped a few things.”

A fly and groundout just after halted any momentum the Knights had built.

The Braves added three runs in the second, keyed by a two-run sacrifice fly by Montgomery Pepin.

Norway answered in the second when Mackenzie Gilroy doubled to deep centerfield. Shortly after, Stanchina’s ground single loaded the bases after an earlier walk. Hannah Burklund then drew another walk to score Gilroy.

Popp finished the inning with a deep double to center, scoring three to bring the Knights within two at 7-5.

The Braves went on a roll in the top of the third, adding five to take a seven-run lead.

“Norway is a very well-coached, scrappy team,” Coach Pepin said. “We played cleaner today defensively. It just showed we’re a better team than yesterday and that we’re getting better. Physically, we have all the skills to play with anybody, but where we need to grow as a team is from the shoulders up. That’s a process.”

Neither team had much success in the following innings. The Braves adding one in the fourth and the Knights plated two in the sixth on a two-RBI double from Popp.

Gladstone added six more in the seventh to close the scoring.

“You can’t give up,” Bal said. “You’ve got to keep the long at-bats. You’ve got to avoid the five- and six-out innings. In the beginning, we didn’t do so many good things, but in the end, I’m overall happy with the effort. They kept fighting, and they didn’t give up.”

Popp finished with three hits and six RBIs for Norway, while Burklund recorded two hits.

Justin St. Ours, sports editor at The Daily Press in Escanaba, can be reached at jstours@dailypress.net.