Daver Karnosky/Daily Mining Gazette Norway’s Emily Marier connects with a pitch during a game against Hancock Thursday at the Hancock Driving Park.

HANCOCK — A very young Norway Knights softball team traveled to the Copper Country looking to continue finding ways to win games Thursday afternoon. However, they were stymied at the Hancock Driving Park as the host Hancock Bulldogs turned Knights’ leads into Knights’ losses in both games of a doubleheader.

The Knights jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning in the opening game, but that was as far ahead as they got, as the Bulldogs (9-1 overall) scored 12 of the next 13 runs to earn the win, 12-2.

In the second game, the Knights (8-7 overall) led 2-0, but the Bulldogs scored the next five runs to win, 5-2.

Hancock coach Craig Biekkola liked seeing how his team found a way to battle back in both games to earn the wins.

“You’ve got to learn to play with the lead and close it out, or from behind (and) not give up,” he said. “You have to realize that you have to play until the final out. The game’s not over until that last out. You have to, I guess, embrace it, and power through when you need to.

“Any time you can get the sweep, that’s great. I guess we weren’t hitting the ball in Game Two as well as we did in Game One, and that’s going to happen.”

While the Bulldogs are a veteran-heavy group, the Knights have just two seniors and one junior, so they are also learning with every game, but they are focused on different lessons, according to coach Bob Bal.

“Hancock’s a quality club, and they are senior heavy this year,” he said. “The senior-heavy team is good for one year, right? That’s what we were last year. We had a lot of success at that. We’re young. I only have two seniors and one junior. The rest are sophomores and freshmen. I started five freshmen.

“That’s the learning curve, and the speed of the game, all that stuff. I’m happy at some things, disappointed in others, but good teams exploit your weaknesses, and then it shows us what we need to work on.”

In the opener, designated hitter Megan Pelto was the story, as she drilled a two-run home run to right field in the bottom of the fourth inning to help drive the Bulldogs’ offense.

Kara Stanchina got things going for Norway when she scored in the first inning on a defensive error.

The Bulldogs answered back in the second when Pelto and center fielder Ella Storm scored on a single to center field by third baseman Sydnie Scholie. Shortstop Kaelyn Rouleau doubled to left field to send Scholie to third, and then both scored on a single to right field by first baseman Alice Larson.

The game remained 4-1 in favor of the Bulldogs into the bottom of the third when Pelto led off with a walk and then scored on a bunt by Storm. Storm reached first on the play due to a defensive error and she scored when Scholie singled to center field.

Jordyn Moln cut Hancock’s lead to 6-2 when she scored on a single by Payton Paquette in the top of the fourth, but that was as close as Norway got.

Catcher Brooke Koskela brought left fielder Sofie Freeman home with a sacrifice. Pitcher Sadie Biekkola then doubled to center and was brought home by Pelto’s home run to put the Bulldogs up 9-2.

In the bottom of the fifth, right fielder Mallory Sporalski stole home to put Hancock within two runs of closing out the game by mercy. In the same at bat, Sadie Biekkola singled to left field, scoring Larson.

Needing one more run, Hancock got it in the bottom of the sixth when Rouleau scored on a single by Sporalski to center field.

Sadie Biekkola struck out 11, walked three and gave up just two hits to earn the win for the Bulldogs.

Stanchina had five strikeouts and gave up 11 hits in the loss for the Knights.

The Knights jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the nightcap when Moln knocked in a run and a fielder’s choice by Liz Romitti extended the lead.

Hancock got one run back in the third when Koskela sacrificed to bring Storm home. The Bulldogs then evened the game in the fourth when Larson scored on a single by first baseman Diem Kilpela.

In the fifth, Hancock took their first lead when Koskela led off with a triple. Sadie Biekkola followed with a well-hit ball into left field. She reached first base on a defensive error and Koskela scored on the play.

Pelto then hit a fly ball out to center field, and reached first on an error which allowed Sadie Biekkola to score, putting Hancock up 4-2.

In the bottom of the sixth, Storm singled to center field with one out to get things started. Koskela reached on a bunt, putting runners on the corners. Sadie Biekkola sacrificed, which scored Storm for the game’s final run.

Scholie pitched well for Hancock in the game, striking out three and giving up five hits in seven innings.

Moln had one strikeout and gave up eight hits for the Knights in the loss.

UP NEXT

The Bulldogs were back in action Friday at Iron Mountain. They return home Tuesday for a battle against Calumet, starting at 4 p.m.

MOUNTAINEERS 15,

EMERALDS 8

IRON MOUNTAIN — The Iron Mountain varsity softball team picked up its first win of the season on Thursday over Manistique, 15-8, in the first game of a doubleheader.

The Mountaineers couldn’t carry their momentum into the second game and the Emeralds escaped Iron Mountain with an 18-12 victory.

Senior Ashlyn Bal continued her dominance on the mound with seven strikeouts.

“Julian Tapio, Macy Linsenbigler, and McKinlee Peterson powered the team offense,” Mountaineers assistant coach Deron Backlund wrote. “Defensively we played well. Ava Marttila played well and made some nice plays at third base.”

Iron Mountain welcomed Hancock to town on Friday and will be back home against Westwood on Monday at 3:30 p.m.

FLIVVERS 15, SENTINELS 0

KINGSFORD — After enduring a six game slide, the Kingsford varsity softball team turned things around against Marquette, picking up a 15-0 win and a 15-1 victory over the Sentinels on Thursday at Lodal Park.

The Flivvers are now 4-11 on the season.

Game One

Senior Anna Bortolini led the charge in Kingsford’s 15-0 win to open the day. She went 3 for 4 at the plate with two doubles and an RBI.

The Flivvers jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning and were off and running. Bortolini kicked it off with a single. Once she was on base, she stole second, third and home to notch Kingsford’s first run.

The Flivvers tallied four more in the second pushing the lead to 8-0 off of a triple from Jenna Viau, a Kailey Sundquist single, a Finnley Lutz double.

They ended things with a seven run showing in the third when Bortolini grounded out to short and Maddie Jungles scored.

Viau got the win for Kingsford. She pitched three innings, allowing one hit and striking out five.

Sundquist and McKenna Trulock each tallied three RBIs. Viau recorded two RBIs. Trulock was 3 for 3 at the dish.

Game Two

The Flivvers kept things rolling in the second game and picked up the 15-1 after notching eight runs in the opening frame.

Reagan Cram picked up the win for Kingsford. She pitched five innings, allowing three hits and striking out eight.

Sundquist tallied three RBIs while batting 2 for 4. Viau and Ady Weber each recorded two RBIS. Bortolini, Jungles, Eden Janousek and Carly Smith notched one RBI apiece. Bortolini and Weber each recorded a stolen base.

The Flivvers are back home on Monday for a doubleheader against Coleman. The first game is scheduled to start at 3:45 p.m.

BOBCATS 4, BLUEJAYS 2

FLORENCE, Wis. — With a stout conference schedule ahead, the Florence varsity softball team needed a win on Thursday as it welcomed Northern Lakes Conference foe Three Lakes to Florence, Wis.

The Bobcats did just that as they hung on for a 4-2 win over the Bluejays on a walkoff home run from Allison Wood.

“This was a big conference win for us,” Florence head coach Dan Robinson said. “The girls fought hard through eight innings.”

Wood started the game on the bump for the Bobcats. She struck out 14 batters.

“Allison pitched a fantastic game for us and finished it off with a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth,” Robinson added.

Wood led the way in the batter’s box, finishing 3 for 4 with two singles and a home run. Abby Novak was 2 for 3. Sami Demuri ended the day 2 for 4 while Vicki Peterson and Isabella Millan were both 1 for 4.

Florence is back home on Monday against Goodman/Pembine at 5 p.m.

“This was a great game for the fans, as well as the players,” Robinson added. “We need to keep up the intensity that we have because of the four conference games coming up next week.”

Daily News sports editor Sean Chase contributed to this report.