IRON MOUNTAIN — The Iron Mountain varsity softball team is in the midst of a stretch of the schedule that includes 20 games in 15 days. In a stranger twist of the slate, the Mountaineers played four consecutive games against Houghton.

After a doubleheader in Houghton on May 6 and another in Iron Mountain on Monday, the Mountaineers were left with a four-game losing streak.

On Monday, the Gremlins held off the Mountaineers 16-13 in the opener. Down 16-6 heading into the bottom of the seventh, the Mountaineers pushed seven runs across before Houghton was able to get the final out of the game.

“Houghton hit the gaps about 90% of the time,” IM coach Bruce Tapio said. “Just good hitting by Houghton.”

Ashlyn Bal went the distance for Iron Mountain and took the loss.

In Monday’s finale, Houghton continued to hit the ball and the Mountaineers cooled off as the Gremlins posted a 12-2 win in five innings.

“We just didn’t hit,” Tapio said.

Iron Mountain’s Ellison Powell drove in both of her team’s runs with a double. Juliana Tapio singled and Annslee Runsat doubled in front of Powell’s hit.

Runsat was the hitting star in Houghton on May 6. The senior thirdbaseman ripped the first two home runs of her career; however, the Mountaineers lost 17-5 and 16-1 in the two games played.