“We hit the ball well and played really good defensively in that first game,” Flivvers head coach Amy Brunswick said. “But that second game showed us how it can get away from you quickly when you make mistakes, and that’s what happened.”

The Flivvers (3-2) were leading 5-4 with Crivitz down to just four outs remaining in the second game before the Wolverines put a nine-spot on the board — all with two outs in the sixth inning.

A couple of two-out singles with a runner on helped Crivitz tie the game 5-5 but a chance to stop the damage there disappeared with an infield error that allowed the go-ahead run to score. Another Kingsford error, their sixth of the game, and two timely run-scoring doubles by Crivitz helped put the game out of reach.

The game was back and forth ahead of the sixth. Crivitz jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first, but Kingsford knotted it up in the third thanks in part to RBI singles by sophomore Jolie Fleming and senior Karly Trevillian. After Crivitz regained lead with a run in the fifth, the Flivvers responded with two to go back in front. Trevillian doubled to the gap in right center to drive in one run, and junior Kailey Matuszewski followed with a sacrifice fly to center to bring home Fleming.

Senior Grace Rice knocks a single during the second game against Crivitz Saturday. Rice led the Flivvers with four hits for the day.

Kingsford’s bats fell cold from there, however, as they didn’t record another hit after the fifth and all six of the Flivvers’ strikeouts in the game occurred in the final two at-bats including going down in order in the final inning.

“We just can’t have the errors and then compound it with the bats going quiet,” Brunswick said.

The game two script was a flip from the first game, with Kingsford firmly in control in that one, backed by a three-hit shutout by junior Mya Brunswick. She was overpowering all game, fanning six and walking none in the shutout effort.

Senior Grace Rice and Fleming led the charge at the plate in the game one win. Rice went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, those coming on a deep line-drive triple toward the fence in the gap in right center in what was a six-run sixth for Kingsford. Fleming was 2-for-3 with a run-scoring single with two away in the third that made it a 3-0 Flivver lead.

Matuszewski tagged a two-run double to the right center gap to start the scoring in the big sixth inning. Senior Adelyn Normand brought in a run with a fielder’s choice, and an error helped Kingsford get another run in the frame.

Trevillian suffered the loss in the second game in her season debut in the circle. She was lifted as the Wolverines rallied in the sixth inning but was only charged with two earned runs. Trevillian allowed nine hits while striking out three and walking three.

“There was a lot of good things today but also some things we have to work on yet,” Brunswick noted. “We’ve got a huge week coming up.”

The Flivvers jump into conference play, hosting Calumet Tuesday, Negaunee on Wednesday and Marquette on Thursday.

Crivitz 11,

Niagara 1

In an M&O Conference game Thursday at Crivitz, the Niagara Badgers managed three hits in five innings before the Wolverines ended the game with a four-run fifth.

Zowie Loukus doubled and scored Niagara’s only run in the second inning. India Varda had a single to drive in Loukus and Grace Payette added a single.

The Badgers (2-4, 1-2) will host Wausaukee today and Florence on Friday.