Hancock Wins District Softball Title – Saturday Sports Wrap

High School

In district softball tournament play yesterday…
• In Division Three at Houghton High School, Houghton fell to Westwood 10-4 in the first semifinal. Calumet lost to Negaunee 9-4 in the second semifinal. The Miners then defeated the Patriots 6-1 in the championship game. They’ll face Gladstone in the regionals.
• In Division Four at the Bone Yard, Lake Linden-Hubbell defeated Gogebic 10-7 in the first semifinal. Hancock ousted Ironwood 12-2 in the second semifinal. Sophie Heinonen had a pair of two-run homers. In the championship game, the Bulldogs downed the Lakes 13-3 to take the title. Hancock will face Ishpeming in the regional semifinal next Saturday at Rapid River. Rudyard and Norway will play in the other regional semifinal. We will broadcast Hancock’s game on KBear 102.3 and KBear102.com.

In district baseball tournament play yesterday…
• In Division Three at Houghton High School, the Gremlins lost 2-0 to Iron Mountain in the first semifinal. Calumet fell to Negaunee 9-4 in the second semifinal. The Mountaineers win the district by defeating the Miners 18-1 in the title match.
• In Division Four at the Stanton field, Jeffers fell to Ironwood 5-4 in the first semifinal. L’Anse lost 4-3 to Gogebic in the second semifinal. The Red Devils took the title with a 6-5 victory over the Miners.

The U.P. track and field championships for boys and girls in all divisions will take place today at Kingsford.

Copper Mountain Conference baseball co-champions Gogebic and Jeffers dominate this year’s all-conference honors. Patrick Hipenbecker of the Miners was named Player of the Year, and Dean Jurmu of the Jets was named Pitcher of the Year. Luke Paul and Leo Ribich shared Coach of the Year honors. Local players on the first team include Levi Frahm, Brent Heinonen, Ari Rautiola and Andrew Kinnunen from Jeffers, Alex Kissel from L’Anse, and Caleb Klein from Lake Linden-Hubbell. Honorable mention votes went to Tom Lassila from Jeffers, Bendan Lavigne and Marcus Sutherland from Lake Linden-Hubbell, Logan Dusincki and Trysten Muma from L’Anse, and Ike Bramlett and Hazel Strong from Ontonagon.

Conference champion Lake Linden-Hubbell swept the Copper Mountain Conference softball honors. Clara Colombe was named Player of the Year, and Olivia Shank Pitcher of the Year. Both are freshmen. Curtis Kinnunen was named Coach of the Year. Local first team honorees include Kara Kinnunen and Marissa Sullivan of the Lakes, L’Anse’s Maija Rice, and Corina Jahfetson, Jaylyne Lindemann and Kylie Michaelson from Baraga. Honorable mention votes went to Becca Lyons from Lake Linden-Hubbell, Emmy Bobula from Baraga, and Rylee Fish, Taylor Sanregret and Kathleen Tollefson from L’Anse.

See the full All-Copper Mountain Conference baseball and softball teams here.

College Baseball

The Finlandia University baseball team has added a new recruit. Ethan Reed is an infielder from Zionsville, Indiana.

College Football

The Finlandia football team has also added a new player. Andrew Lara comes from San Angelo, Texas.

College Basketball

Northern Michigan University has added three new basketball players via transfer. Justin Brookens comes in from NCAA Division I Western Illinois. In 2018-2019, he averaged 21 points per game while playing for current Wildcats coach Matt Majkrzak at Briggs and Stratton College. John Kerr is a graduate transfer from St. Ambrose, and was an NAIA third-team All-American this season. Nick Wagner is a graduate transfer from NCAA Division II Bemidji State, where he was an all-conference honorable mention. Majkrzak coached him in the sixth grade.

NBA

In NBA tournament opening-round play yesterday…
• The Clippers got past the Mavericks 104-97. That series is tied 3-3, and will be decided tomorrow.

The second round of the playoffs opens tonight…
• The Nets entertain the Bucks.

NHL

In the NHL tournament second-round play last evening…
• The Canadiens edged the Jets 1-0. Montreal leads that series 2-0.
• The Golden Knights shaded the Avalanche 3-2. Colorado leads that set 2-1.

Today…
• The Lightning host the Hurricanes. Tampa Bay leads that series 2-1.
• The Islanders welcome the Bruins. Boston is up 2-1 in that series.

MLB

Yermín Mercedes’ RBI single off José Cisnero in the bottom of the ninth inning gave the Chicago White Sox a wild 9-8 victory over the Detroit Tigers last night. The Sox appeared to take command when they scored five runs off Kyle Funkhauser and Joe Jiménez in the fifth inning. Detroit came back with six runs in the seventh. Jonathan Schoop had a four-hit night, with two home runs and five RBI. Eric Haase also homered. Starting pitcher Spencer Turnbull gave up a run on two hits over four innings. He left the game with tightness in his right forearm. He’ll be evaluated today.

The Tigers continue that series in Chicago this afternoon. Tarik Skubal will start against Lucas Giolito. Coverage begins at 2:10 on 99.3 The Lift.

The Milwaukee Brewers shut down the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-1 last evening. Freddy Peralta tossed seven no-hit innings, then left as the Diamondbacks scored in the eighth. Daniel Vogelbach and Omar Narváez homered.

The Brewers host the Diamondbacks again today. Brandon Woodruff will pitch against Merrill Kelly.

Milwaukee second baseman Kolten Wong is back on the injured list. He’s still battling the left oblique strain that sidelined him earlier this season.

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