Iron Mountain junior Macy Linsenbigler (11) crosses the plate during the Mountaineers’ contest with Norway at Marion Park on Friday. The Knights swept Iron Mountain in the doubleheader. (Sean Chase/Daily News photo)

NORWAY — Despite intense winds and sporadic sand clouds blowing across the diamond, the Norway varsity softball team welcomed Iron Mountain to Marion Park on Friday for a doubleheader.

The Knights preserved through a strong outing from Mountaineers senior pitcher Ashlyn Bal, in the first game, and picked up two wins.

“Hats off to both teams, they played in some brutal conditions,” Norway head coach Bob “Kuba” Bal said.

Norway took the opening game with an 8-5 win and cruised to a 17-0 victory in the second contest of the day to improve to 3-1 overall.

Iron Mountain falls to 0-2 on the season.

Norway's Jordyn Moln (15) waits for a pitch from Iron Mountain pitcher Ashlyn Bal (10) on Friday at Marion Park. (Sean Chase/AP Photo)

Game 1

The Mountaineers opened the first inning on a roll and took a 1-0 lead. Norway would respond in the bottom of the second when Emma Dube drove in a run with a single.

Both teams would trade runs until the fourth, when Iron Mountain made its move.

Vivian Petrusch singled and made it a 4-2 Mountaineers’ advantage.

They weren’t done though as a single from Macy Linsenbigler brought Petrusch home and Iron Mountain took a 5-2 lead into the bottom of the fourth.

The Norway varsity softball team took on Iron Mountain in a doubleheader at Marion Park in Norway on Friday. The Knights picked up an 8-5 win in the opener and a 17-0 win in the second game. (Sean Chase/Daily News photo)

With their backs against the fence, the Knights’ offense came to life.

Once again, it was Dube that got them on the board as drove in two runs with a single.

Jordyn Moln, who got the start on the mound for Norway in game one, hit a sacrifice fly to left field, bringing another run in. When the dust settled, the Knights had plated five runs and held a 7-5 lead.

“We needed every one of (those runs),” coach Bal said. “I was happy how we manufactured runs. The girls ran the bases much better than we did against Bark River-Harris and Negaunee.”

Neither team would score again until the bottom of the sixth when Anna Debidart drove the ball to right just deep enough for Moln to cross the plate.

The Norway varsity softball team took on Iron Mountain in a doubleheader at Marion Park in Norway on Friday. The Knights picked up an 8-5 win in the opener and a 17-0 win in the second game. (Sean Chase/Daily News photo)

Kara Stanchina retired the Iron Mountain side in order in the top of the seventh and the Knights locked up the win.

Moln pitched four innings in the Norway win, allowing three earned runs while striking out three. Stanchina followed that up with three scoreless innings of work. She gave up one hit while fanning three and walking three.

“She’s one of those kids that can turn it on like a switch,” coach Bal said. “That’s what I love about her, when it’s game time I know where Kara’s head will be.”

Ashlyn Bal picked up the loss for the Mountaineers. She pitched all six innings, allowing eight earned runs while striking out four and walking four.

Offensively, the Knights received contributions from Elizabeth Romitti (2 for 4, 1 run), Stanchina (3 for 5, 2 runs, one double), Moln (2 for 3, 2 RBIs), Jessa Rossler (1 run), Peyton Paquette (1 for 4, 1 RBI), Debidart (1 for 4, 2 RBIs), Emily Murier (0 for 3, 1 walk), Olivia Kraemer (1 for 2, 2 walks), Tessa Castelaz (1 for 3, 1 run, 1 walk), Dube (2 for 2, 3 RBI, 1 run, 1 stolen base), Maya Gilroy (1 stolen base).

The Norway varsity softball team took on Iron Mountain in a doubleheader at Marion Park in Norway on Friday. The Knights picked up an 8-5 win in the opener and a 17-0 win in the second game. (Sean Chase/Daily News photo)

Iron Mountain received offensive contributions from Juliana Tapio (2 for 3, 1 RBI, 1 walk, 2 stolen bases), Linsenbigler (3 for 4, 2 runs), Bal (1 for 3, 1 RBI, 1 walk), McKinlee Peterson (0 for 3, 1 walk), Emily Copley (0 for 4), Ava Sardina (0 for 4), Lindsey Sorensen (1 for 4, 1 run), Marttila (0 for 3, 1 run) and Petrusch (1 for 3, 1 run, 2 RBIs, 1 stolen base).

Game two

After a quick breather, the Norway bats came back to life in the second game of the day.

The Knights scored three runs in both the first and second innings and they held a 6-0 advantage heading into the top of the third.

Norway’s offense exploded for 11 runs and the game was called due to mercy rules.

The Norway varsity softball team took on Iron Mountain in a doubleheader at Marion Park in Norway on Friday. The Knights picked up an 8-5 win in the opener and a 17-0 win in the second game. (Sean Chase/Daily News photo)

“The biggest change was that Ashlyn Bal wasn’t pitching,” coach Bal said.

Stanchina picked up the win for the Knights, pitching two innings while striking out three and allowing one hit. Moln followed her up with an inning of one hit work on the mound.

Norway received offensive contributions from Romitti (2 for 3, 3 runs, 5 RBI, 1 walk, 1 home run, 1 triple), Stanchina (2 for 2, 1 RBI, 2 runs), Tori Cooper (1 for 1, 1 RBI), Moln (1 for 1, 1 RBI, 1 run, 2 walks), Paquette (1 for 2, 2 runs, 3 RBIs, 1 walk), Debidart (0 for 2, 2 runs, 1 RBI, 1 walk), Dube (1 for 2, 1 run, 3 RBIs, 1 walk), Kraemer (0 for 2), Castelaz (0 for 1, 2 runs, 1 RBI, 2 walks), Gilroy (1 for 1, 1 run), Murier (1 for 1, 2 runs, 1 RBI, 1 walk).

Norway will play its first road game of the season on Tuesday as it heads to Rapid River for a doubleheader to kick off Skyline Central Conference action.

“I want to see improvement,” coach Bal said. “I’ve seen a lot of improvement, but there’s always something to work on. Now, both (conference) games count because you’re only playing everybody once and we didn’t do it like that in the past.

“If you want to be a contender in the Skyline, you have to get both games.”

The Mountaineers are headed to Niagara, Wis. on Tuesday to face the Badgers at 3:30 p.m.

BADGERS 7, PATRIOTS 5

PEMBINE, Wis. — The Niagara softball team continued its early season momentum on Friday as it headed to Pembine, Wis. for a nonconference game against Goodman/Pembine.

Despite the Patriots’ best efforts, the Badgers escaped with a 7-5 win and improved to 2-1 on the season.

Goodman/Pembine is now 2-4 on the year.

Elesia Sweig got the win for Niagara on the mound. She pitched a complete game while fanning six, walking three and allowing four earned runs.

“Elesia Sweig had a really good game for us,” Niagara head coach Joe Chameau said. “This was a tight contest throughout the whole night. … This was a great team win, all of the girls made big plays and hits were generated at the right time to come out on top.”

The Patriots almost stole the game in the bottom of the seventh. However, junior Mallory Sanicki made the game-sealing throw.

“Mallory Sanicki came up throwing to our shortstop Aiva Champeau as a runner from Pembine was trying to advance to second base,” coach Champeau said, “Champeau put the tag on the runner to end the game.”

The Badgers offense received contributions from Sweig (0 for 1, 3 walks, 2 stolen bases, 1 run), Grace Payette (0 for 3, 1 run, 1 walk), Aiva Champeau (3 for 3, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 walk, 1 stolen base), Emma Broullire (3 for 4, 2 RBIs, 1 stolen base), Rachael Walker (0 for 4), Mallory Sanicki (3 for 4, 2 runs, 1 RBI), Addison Wheeler (0 for 2), Alivia Kleikamp (0 for 4, 2 walks), Bristol Sanicki (1 for 3, 1 run, 1 walk) and Zowie Loukus (0 for 2).

The Norway varsity softball team took on Iron Mountain in a doubleheader at Marion Park in Norway on Friday. The Knights picked up an 8-5 win in the opener and a 17-0 win in the second game. (Sean Chase/Daily News photo)

The Norway varsity softball team took on Iron Mountain in a doubleheader at Marion Park in Norway on Friday. The Knights picked up an 8-5 win in the opener and a 17-0 win in the second game. (Sean Chase/Daily News photo)

The Norway varsity softball team took on Iron Mountain in a doubleheader at Marion Park in Norway on Friday. The Knights picked up an 8-5 win in the opener and a 17-0 win in the second game. (Sean Chase/Daily News photo)

The Norway varsity softball team took on Iron Mountain in a doubleheader at Marion Park in Norway on Friday. The Knights picked up an 8-5 win in the opener and a 17-0 win in the second game. (Sean Chase/Daily News photo)