NATIONAL MINE — Morgan Schneider cracked a two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the seventh inning of Game 2 to send home the tying and winning runs as Westwood salvaged a high school softball split against Ishpeming on Wednesday evening.

The Patriots won the nightcap 14-13 despite being outhit 20-10 after Ishpeming rolled to a 14-4 victory in the opener.

“We hit the ball both games really well,” Hematites coach Ben McGuire said after his team collected a total of 37 hits over two games and now stands at 10-4 overall and 3-1 in the West PAC. “We just had one bad inning defensively each game, and we couldn’t finish as it happened in the seventh inning (of Game 2).

“But I’m happy with where we’re at right now.”

Payton Manninen earned the pitching victory in Game 1, going all seven innings while allowing four runs on eight hits and a walk as she struck out six.

Westwood’s Alexa Radcliffe took the pitching loss, going six innings and allowing all 14 runs on 17 hits with three walks as she fanned one.

The teams were tied 4-4 after the Patriots scored twice in the bottom of the sixth, but the Hematites erupted for 10 runs in the top of the seventh to put away the result.

Jenna Maki led Ishpeming’s 17-hit attack with three hits, including a triple, as she scored twice.

Manninen and teammates Ava Jo Hares and Lilly Swanson each had two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored. Manninen included a double in her pair of hits.

Megan Marta led the Patriots by going 4 for 4, while Taylor Jackovich had two hits and Radcliffe and Nolia Dawson both had a hit as Jackovich, Radcliffe and Dawson each scored a run.

“We were hitting the ball really hard all game long, but their centerfielder, Morgan Schneider, just kept running balls down until the seventh inning,” McGuire said.

In Game 2, the teams traded the lead several times, each team scoring three runs in the first inning before Ishpeming plated another three in the top of the third to take a 6-5 lead.

The Hematites upped their advantage to 13-8 before Westwood answered with six in the bottom of the seventh, culminated by Schneider’s game-winning hit.

The Pats’ Niila Nurmi earned the pitching victory as she went all seven innings, allowing 13 runs on 20 hits and two walks as she K’d four.

Marie Salisbury was the hard-luck losing hurler, going 6 2/3 innings and giving up 14 runs on 10 hits and 11 walks as she struck out two.

Manninen collected four hits for the Hematites, including two doubles as she drove in four and scored twice.

Maki, Hares and Kadie Kaukola each had two hits for Ishpeming as Maki scored three runs and drove in two, while Hares and Kaukola each scored a run.

Nurmi and Marta led Westwood hitters with two hits apiece. Nurmi had a triple and double with three RBIs and two runs scored, while Marta had a double with two RBIs and three runs.

Jackovich added a hit, two RBIs and a run.

Ishpeming continues a busy week with a recently added twinbill at Marquette at noon Saturday, which is scheduled at Lions Field.

Westwood hosts Marquette in a doubleheader at 4 p.m. today, then entertains Iron Mountain in a 4 p.m. Monday twinbill.

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