Marquette pitcher David Dickinson winds up in his delivery during a District 11 tournament game in Little League Major Division baseball played against Portage Lake on Wednesday at the American Legion Field in Calumet. (Daily Mining Gazette photo by Daver Karnosky)

CALUMET — Portage Lake made Marquette its latest victim with a 6-2 victory in a District 11 tournament game in Little League Major Division baseball at the American Legion Field in Calumet on Wednesday afternoon.

The Houghton-based team scored three runs in the opening inning and three more in the fifth for its second straight win after opening with a loss against Negaunee.

“(This) feels amazing,” said PL manager Marty Thompson. “These guys have worked so hard. They started off with a great win, (then) lose to Negaunee, but they didn’t let their spirits get down.

“(They) came back firing on all cylinders, and then to know that it wasn’t just a one-off thing, that they had that discipline and determination in them, was good.”

While Thompson loved what he saw from his own team, he knew it was not an easy victory with Marquette battling hard.

“I’m happy for these guys,” he said. “They worked really hard.

“Marquette’s a really disciplined team, I mean, a really disciplined team. I knew we weren’t going to get away with the bobbles and errors giving us freebies. They weren’t giving us anything.

“We had to earn it. These guys earned it. I’m happy for them.”

Portage Lake jumped all over Marquette in the bottom of the first inning with the first three batters getting on base and scoring.

Landon Kinnunen led off with a walk, then stole second and got to third on a passed ball. Cal Johnson hit an RBI single to center field, then himself stole second before James Thompson reached on an error, putting runners on the corners.

Two batters later, a passed ball scored Johnson, while Oliver Pennala brought in James Thompson with a single that made it 3-0.

“We got off to a quick start, and when people are excited and, and they’re cheering each other on, and they’re kind of feeding off each other, it’s contagious,” Marty Thompson said. “It’s important, and I think it also gives you a little more confidence to play when you got a little something (going).”

Johnson got the start for Portage Lake, striking out three batters in the first and racking up two more in the second, seemingly in cruise control in a game both teams needed to win to stay alive in the tournament.

Johnson came out three batters into the third after Marquette’s Dez Loonsfoot picked up his team’s third hit, with Coach Thompson electing to bring in Lewis Kilpela to pitch.

“That’s the one that keeps me up at night,” the PL manager said when asked why he pulled Johnson. “(That) is the one that I’m pacing back and forth in the dugout, because it’s like, ‘I know we could ride him out, but who’s next?’ Then, if we get that, ‘Who’s next?’

“I just had to make the call, had to have trust in that the team was going to keep hitting, they’re going to keep playing with passion, and we’d win.”

Kilpela got out of the inning with a strikeout and fly out.

In the bottom half of the inning, Portage Lake loaded the bases with one out when James Thompson singled to center, Kilpela walked and Levi Nordstrom reached on a fielder’s choice where everyone was safe. However, a fly out and strikeout ended the threat.

The Marquette boys needed a rally desperately in the top of the fourth, and they found it.

Mason Havel and Leo Starkey started with singles to center before Austin Havel walked to load the bases.

Kilpela came out at that point with Pennala taking the mound. Pennala got two quick strikeouts, but issued a bases-loaded walk to Gus Pernsteiner, which got Marquette on the board. Then Carter Cleary singled to left field, which scored Starkey to suddenly make it 3-2.

Portage Lake was looking for some insurance in the fifth.

Kinnunen led off with a double to left before Johnson singled to put runners at the corners. Thompson sacrificed, which scored Kinnunen. Kilpela then walked, putting runners on the corners again. Nordstrom laid down a bunt and reached first, scoring Johnson at the same time. Pennala then reached on a fielder’s choice, scoring Kilpela and pushing the lead to four, which is where it stayed.

“The fun part is running the bases, and these guys love it, but, in the big picture, that drove in a run and set up what, one other?” said Marty Thompson about his son James’ sacrifice. “It was important to move people around the bases and to get the sacrifice.”

Marquette had one last chance to get back in the game in the top of the sixth and got a leadoff walk from Mason Havel. But he was tagged out trying to steal second. Then Starkey struck out.

Austin Havel ripped a double to left field, but because he slid into second base head first, he was called out, ending the game.