Marquette scored four runs in the opening inning and six more in the third to get out to a fast start.

With the win, Marquette punched its ticket to the championship series against Portage Lake that was set to begin Tuesday night back at the Houghton field. Because PL came through the bracket undefeated and Marquette had one loss, the latter team need to win Tuesday to force a second and deciding game today.

Marquette took its loss on Saturday, falling to Portage Lake 11-1, but has bounced back with two straight wins, first over Baraga-Lake of the Clouds on Sunday before taking out Negaunee the following day.

“I always knew that they were going to bounce back,” Marquette assistant coach Corey Hanycz said of his team. “I’ve been practicing with the majority of these girls since December, and I know what they can do. I know they can hit.”

Negaunee pitcher Elliana Fredrick winds up to pitch on Monday evening during the District 11 tournament semifinal game in Little League Minor Division softball against Marquette at the Houghton High School field. (Daily Mining Gazette photo by Daver Karnosky)

Hanycz admitted that he feels the Marquette team plays better later in the day.

“Usually our early morning games start off slow, but once the girls get going and rolling, they find their rhythm, and they start hitting the ball and scoring runs,” he said. “So as long as we can avoid the early morning games, we should be fine.

“We have a talented bunch of young ladies, and I’m proud of them.”

That talent was on display from the get-go. In the top of the first inning, Marquette’s Kelsey Anderson got things started with a leadoff walk. She stole second and got to third on a passed ball, and after Harper DeMay walked, another passed ball scored Anderson.

Passed balls moved DeMay to third and then home for another run. After Tess Pernsteiner and Ella Dickinson walked, Pernsteiner scored on a passed ball. Dickinson moved to second on that play and Ada Mohrman sacrificed to move her to third.

Marquette shortstop Kelsey Anderson, center, throws the ball back to pitcher Ella Dickinson after making a catch on a fly ball during the opening game of the Little League Minors District 11 softball tournament played against Portage Lake on Saturday, July 5, 2025, at Houghton High School’s field. (Daily Mining Gazette photo by Daver Karnosky)

Two batters after Kynlee Hanycz walked and moved to second on a passed ball, Emily Trdan walked to load the bases. Pyper Harris then drew a walk, bringing home Dickinson to give Marquette an early 4-0 lead.

Three more runs came in during the next inning. Madison Pohlman walked and moved all the way around the bases on passed balls. Then after DeMay was hit by a pitch, she advanced to third on a pair of passed balls. And Pernsteiner walked before Dickinson launched a ball to deep center field, bringing both Pohlman and DeMay home.

Negaunee desperately needed something to go their way, and they made their own break in the bottom half of the second. Maddie Roberts started things off with a walk, and after Elliana Fredrick was hit by a pitch, a passed ball moved both into scoring position. Makayla Munson walked to load the bases, while an error on the play allowed Roberts to score from third.

Just like that, Negaunee was within 7-1, but Negaunee would get no more as back-to-back strikeouts ended the threat.

Negaunee manager Matt Perry was proud of his team for not giving up or giving in when things got tough.

“They have some tenacity, and I’m super proud of those girls,” he said. “They fought back, never got down on themselves, and proved that they could do it themselves. I think they got down on themselves a little bit in the beginning when they got behind again, but (we) switched pitchers, got back into a groove again, started throwing strikes, and got back into it for a little bit.

“So I’m super proud of them. They fought back strong, hard. They never got a bad attitude, and never, never let down. So I’m proud of them.”

In the top of third, Marquette all but put the game away.

Trdan led off with a single to left while Pyper Harris singled to short, puttin

g runners on the corners. Everly Ventimeglia singled to left field, bringing Trdan home, followed by Pohlman singling to center to bring Harris around.

Eleanor Gustafson walked before Anderson singled to center, bringing home Ventimeglia and Pohlman.

Pernsteiner reached on a fielder’s choice when Gustafson was tagged out at third, and after a double steal moved Anderson and Pernsteiner into scoring position, Dickinson brought them home with a single to left to make it 13-1.

Negaunee needed a rally to keep the game going and made it happen in the bottom half of the inning.

Marquette turned to Mohrman in the pitcher’s circle to start the inning, and two batters in, Negaunee’s Kenley Thompson drew a walk with an error on the play allowing her to get to third, and later, a passed ball bringing her home.

Kenley Laitala, who replaced Fredrick in the circle for Negaunee in the second, also drew a walk, stealing second and moving to third on a passed ball. Ayla Swanson walked before Laitala scored on a passed ball.

Swanson made her way to third and scored on another passed ball, cutting the deficit to nine, 13-4.

Negaunee continued to threaten for more in the inning, with runners on the corners, before Marquette turned back to Dickinson in the circle. She recorded a strikeout to end the inning.

That was as close as Negaunee got, however, as Marquette found two more runs in the fourth to officially end the game.

In that final flurry of runs, Marquette’s Kynlee Hanycz led off with a walk with Penelope Harris sacrificing to move her to third by the time the play was over. Trdan hit an RBI single, moving to second on an error. Passed balls moved her the rest of the way around the bases.