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Patriots power

Westwood softball sweeps doubleheader with wins over Houghton, Calumet

HOUGHTON — Westwood traveled to the Copper Country Saturday afternoon to take on two West-PAC teams in Houghton and Calumet.

The Patriots, who play in the Mid Peninsula Conference, scored a 13-3 win over the Gremlins in the opener, and then notched a 10-7 victory over the Copper Kings in the nightcap.

“We saw it as a real good opportunity to play a couple of teams we don’t see often,” Westwood coach Heather Salmi said. “We had to do some late negotiating to arrange for the second game.”

In the opening game, the Patriots busted open a close game with six-run third inning.

Westwood held a slim 3-2 lead at that point in the non-league contest.

Megan Pohlman was the starting and winning hurler, limiting the Gremlins to just four hits.

Harlee Froberg led Houghton with two hits.

Raija Stille and Shae Blewett headed the offense for the winners with two hits apiece.

In the second game, Westwood jumped off to a 6-0 lead after three frames.

But Calumet, which is 15-6 on the season and leading the West-PAC, rallied back with six runs of its own in the fourth inning. A two-run triple by Jaden Reili was the big blow for Calumet.

“We fell behind early in the game and had to rally,” Calumet coach Joel Rastello said afterward. “They (Patriots) have a good solid ball club …. they don’t give you many openings.”

But after falling behind by a 7-6 margin in the next inning, Westwood went on to score the next four runs of the contest for the win.

Stille, who picked up three three hits in the game, supplied a key rap, while Marissa Carello had a double.

Now 17-5 on the season, Westwood was paced in the hitting department by Stille’s three raps.

Katie Wiljanen, Karli Patron and Madelyn Koski chipped in two hits apiece.

Vera Peterson laced out two hits for Calumet.

Patron was the winning pitcher, allowing just five hits.

Jonna Berg was the losing chucker in relief of Emily Erkkila.

Calumet had defeated Westwood in the Dome Softball Classic last month by a 5-2 margin.

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