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Superior Dome has perfect weather for Spring Swing high school softball this weekend

Negaunee’s Madysen Kontio runs out of the batter’s box after hitting the ball in a game against Kingsford at the Spring Swing held in the Superior Dome in April 2017. (Journal file photo by Rachel Oakley)

MARQUETTE — Even with plenty of snow left on the ground in and around Marquette, the high school spring sports season will kick off with the 16th annual Spring Swing Softball Tournament on Friday and Saturday.

Weather and the spring melt won’t be an issue, since all the games will be played indoors at Northern Michigan University’s Superior Dome.

Ten area teams, which includes the Marquette and Negaunee JV squads, are part of an 18-team field that starts play at 12:30 p.m. Friday and runs until the last game starts at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

A total of 27 games on two fields on the dome floor are scheduled with each team playing three times against three different opponents, mostly teams they won’t see later in the season. With one exception — Norway getting in all three of its games Saturday — every squad plays both days.

Head coach Paul Seibert and his Marquette Senior High School varsity team keep busy with their games and keeping the event organized. Parents, school officials and other local volunteers play a big part in allowing things to run smoothly, too.

With games spaced an hour and a half apart, each contest is on a 75-minute time limit after which a new inning can’t start.

“The tournament allows teams to make early-season evaluations and guarantees them three games in perfect weather,” Seibert said as organizers recall a big snowstorm that hit the area just a few days before last year’s event.

Marquette has the late Friday game at 8 p.m. against Calumet, then two games spaced six hours apart on Saturday — 10:30 a.m. vs. Newberry and 4:30 p.m. against Escanaba.

The other area varsity squads attending are Negaunee, Ishpeming, Gwinn, Munising, Superior Central, Newberry and L’Anse.

From out of the Journal coverage area are Escanaba, Gladstone, Norway, Houghton, Calumet, Lake Linden-Hubbell, Stephenson and Ironwood.

Daily admission is $5 for adults, $3 for students and free for children ages 10 and under. Concession stands will be open.

Here is the full schedule:

—————

FRIDAY

12:30 p.m. — Negaunee vs. Escanaba, Field 1; L’Anse vs. Marquette JV, Field 2

2 p.m. — Gladstone vs. Houghton, Field 1; Gwinn vs. Negaunee JV, Field 2

3:30 p.m. — Newberry vs. Stephenson, Field 1; Superior Central vs. Marquette JV, Field 2

5 p.m. — Negaunee vs. Calumet, Field 1; Munising vs. Ironwood, Field 2

6:30 p.m. — Ishpeming vs. Gladstone, Field 1; Newberry vs. Houghton, 6:30 p.m., Field 2

8 p.m. — Marquette vs. Calumet, Field 1; Superior Central vs. Lake Linden-Hubbell, Field 2

—————

SATURDAY

9 a.m. — Negaunee vs. Ironwood, Field 1; Negaunee JV vs. Stephenson, Field 2

10:30 a.m. — Marquette vs. Newberry, Field 1; Munising vs. Gwinn, Field 2

Noon — Norway vs. Houghton, Field 1; Marquette JV vs. Negaunee JV, Field 2

1:30 p.m. — Ishpeming vs. Ironwood, Field 1; Lake Linden-Hubbell vs. Stephenson, Field 2

3 p.m. — Gladstone vs. Calumet, Field 1; Munising vs. L’Anse, Field 2

4:30 p.m. — Marquette vs. Escanaba, Field 1; Gwinn vs. Lake Linden-Hubbell, Field 2

6 p.m. — Escanaba vs. Norway, Field 1; Superior Central vs. L’Anse, Field 2

7:30 p.m. — Ishpeming vs. Norway, Field 1; no game on Field 2

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.

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