Marquette Red’s Liam Beerman tries to tag Portage Lake’s Camden Markham has he slides into secondbase Friday evening, July 14, 2017, at Ishpeming Sports Complex. (Journal photos by Corey Kelly)

ISHPEMING — Despite a late scare, Portage Lake was able to down Marquette 15-12 in extra innings to win the District 11 Little League Majors championship.

Portage Lake started its scoring in the seventh inning with a dribbler down the left field line by Luke Frahm to score Cameron Circhke and break the 12-12 tie.

One batter later with a runner on, Dylan Primeau hit a two-run home run to put his team up 15-12 and get the victory.

Portage Lake head coach Wes Frahm said his team was resilient until the end.

“I’m really proud of our kids,” Frahm said. “It wasn’t how we wanted to draw it, but Marquette kept it on us.

“We were able to sneak out of their chances and tack on a few runs in the seventh to win.”

Portage Lake jumped out early in the first inning with three runs, than tacked on with three more in the top of the second before Marquette countered in the bottom of the frame to cut its deficit to two runs at 6-4.

PL added on four runs in the top of the fourth to take a 10-4 advantage, but Marquette answered with five runs in its half of the frame to make it a 10-9 game.

In the sixth, Portage Lake was hanging on to a 12-11 lead before Marquette’s Liam Beerman scored to tie the game.

Marquette had the potential winning run at third base, but couldn’t cash in on the opportunity.

The loss was the end of the road for Marquette, but Portage Lake will move on to the state tournament in Gladstone on Friday, facing a team yet to be determined.

“We’re glad it’s in Gladstone and we don’t have to go downstate,” Frahm said. ‘These guys are good enough to win games in this tournament. I’ve been in this before, and I know it’s going to be difficult.

“We have enough bats and arms to make some noise and defeat some teams, so I think we’ll get to the single-elimination section. That’s our goal, and I expect we’ll get there.

Ray Bressette can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 251. His email address is rbressette@miningjournal.net.