Iron Mountain's Lillianna Dubois hustles to reach first base against Escanaba on Sunday in the District 10 Little League softball tournament at Lemerand Park. (Terry Raiche photo)

Escanaba will represent District 10 in the Michigan Little League Majors (ages 10-12) state softball tournament, following a 15-5 win over Gladstone on Tuesday at Escanaba’s Lemerand Park.

Gladstone advanced from the loser’s bracket and forced a winner-take-all championship game Tuesday with a 2-0 victory over undefeated Escanaba. In the title game, Escanaba scored nine runs in the first inning and cruised from there to earn a trip to downstate St. Clair for the state tourney.

Escanabe had posted a 4-2 win over Gladstone earlier in the tournament. The two Delta County teams then eliminated both Kingsford and Iron Mountain.

On Monday, a big third inning made a world of difference for Gladstone as they posted a 12-7 triumph over Iron Mountain.

Gladstone, which trailed 2-1 after the second frame, scored six times in the third.

“Our pitcher (Ellie Sanville) got out of a jam in the second inning, which was huge,” Gladstone head coach Brenda Damitz said. “We have a good group of pitchers and catchers. They talk to each other and make changes when needed.”

Iron Mountain loaded the bases with nobody out in the second, but was unable to capitalize.

Gladstone took a 3-2 lead on a two-run triple to left field by Maia Hughes.

Hughes then scored on Sanville’s single to center for a two-run cushion that later grew to 7-2.

“We hung with them, but that’s a good team,” North coach Travis Johnson said. “They were hot, although we also had runners on base. The opportunities were there.”

Gianna Newberry started Iron Mountain’s fourth with a single to left and eventually scored on a wild pitch to make it 7-3.

Gladstone answered with two runs in the fifth and Iron Mountain got one back in its half of the inning.

In the sixth, Gladstone raised the count to 12-4.

A single by Newberry drove in a run for North, which scored three in the bottom of the sixth.

“I thought the girls played good tonight, although we made some errors,” Johnson said. “Overall, this was a fun tournament and the girls enjoyed it.”

Newberry pitched the entire contest for Iron Mountain and Sanville and Hughes shared the mound duties for Gladstone.

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The Daily News contributed.