Ishpeming’s Jenna Maki, left, slides safely home as Marquette’s Hayden Trepanier goes for the tag in a Little League baseball District 11 Minors tournament game in Negaunee on Wednesday evening. (Journal photo by Rachel Oakley)

NEGAUNEE — Ishpeming capitalized early on errors and with aggressive base running and held for a 10-9 victory over Marquette in a Little League baseball District 11 tournament elimination game played in Negaunee on Wednesday.

In the day’s other game, Negaunee defeated Penokee Range 10-6 to move the home team into the championship round of the tournament starting at 6 p.m. Friday. Not having a loss yet, Negaunee will have to be beaten twice to be denied the title.

Ishpeming faces Penokee Range at 6 p.m. today back at Bernie River Memorial Field, with the winner also advancing to the title round, but with one loss.

Ishpeming Manager Greg Maki credited his team’s offense early and the defense late in Wednesday’s game.

“We started the game off running like we wanted to,” he said. “The kids with the humidity today got a little tired those last few innings and they weren’t swinging the bats quite as hard as they were earlier, so we had to count on the defense to pull this one out.”

Ishpeming raced out to a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Ben Nelson, Jenna Maki, Tanner Annala and Grady Etelamaki scored on a sequence of wild pitches that severely tested Marquette catcher Hayden Trepanier. The fifth run came on an infield single from Cam Mahaffey, scoring Jaxson Alderton from third.

Marquette answered in the top of the second when Ian Sheltrow rapped out a base hit, scoring Levi Stauber and Jake Toyras to pull their team within three.

Ishpeming responded once again, scoring three runs in the bottom of the second and eventually held a 10-3 lead by the end of the third.

After that, though, Marquette would make things dramatic. After scoring twice in the fourth inning, Marquette’s big rally began in the fifth. A base hit to left field from Toyras brought home Stauber, which was followed by Parker Saunders and Noah Wautier scoring on an overthrow to first base. Next, it was Kayden Jenshak running home on a fielder’s choice to tighten the score to 10-9.

Ishpeming held strong in the top of the sixth with a 1-2-3 inning from pitcher Carter Krook and Ishpeming’s defense.

“In the beginning we got really confident because we got a big lead,” Jenna Maki said. “We got a little worried but we kept on going and didn’t give up.”

Mahaffey agreed.

“It was hard,” he said. “We were up by a lot and then they came back.”

Marquette Manager Jamie Ridl was proud of his team’s resilience.

“Obviously you hate to see it end like that when they battled back from a rough start,” Ridl said. “We didn’t get it going on the mound like we would’ve liked to. And I told my kids I’m proud of them, they battled and they hit the ball.”

Ridl also said their opponents played well.

“Tip your hats to Ishpeming,” Ridl said. “They did enough early in the game to put up enough runs.”

Asked if Ridl would have done anything differently in the game, he said you can always second-guess yourself.

“The kids I played, they’ve done a great job for us all year,” Ridl said. “There’s no reason for me to think that they weren’t going to get it done.”

Maki talked to his team about preparing for tonight.

“I told them to get a good night’s sleep and hydrate,” Maki said. “We’ll be ready.”

Email Ryan Spitza at sports@miningjournal.net.