NEGAUNEE — Marquette posted a pair of shortened victories due to the run rule over the weekend to advance in the Little League Major Division softball District 11 tournament at LaCombe Field in Negaunee.

Marquette downed Gwinn 20-0 in four innings on Saturday, then jumped out for a 12-1, five-inning victory past the Negaunee-Ishpeming-based West End All Stars on Sunday.

With Marquette waiting in the wings, the West End team faces Gwinn in an elimination game at 6 p.m. today, expected to be played back at LaCombe.

In other District 11 tournament action, Negaunee posted victories on back-to-back days to win the Junior Division baseball title at Irontown Field in Negaunee, knocking off Marquette 6-1 on Thursday and Marquette again 3-0 on Friday.

The Negaunee Juniors advance to Pellston to play in a sectional tournament scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, with that victor going on to the state finals.

State Farm wins 2 of 3

Even when they weren’t winning, the Steph Robar State Farm Little League girls softball team wasn’t losing.

The Negaunee-based team pulled out a 9-9 tie against U.P. Hair Company in Marquette on May 22 as U.P. Hair scored three runs in the bottom of the final inning.

Aili Johnson went four innings on the pitching rubber for State Farm, giving up seven runs on eight hits, though only two of the runs were earned. She also struck out seven and walked one.

Capri Kangas added two innings pitched for State Farm, allowing a run on three walks as she K’d one.

Teammate Addison Vance had two hits, while Capri and State Farm’s Sydney Skewis and Sophia Dubord had one hit apiece as this team stole nine bases and turned a double play.

On May 27, State Farm outscored Gwinn 25-17 in a game played in Gwinn, despite the insurers holding a big 16-2 advantage in hits.

Skewis went 4 for 4, including a pair of doubles, while Dubord and Vance each had three hits, including a Dubord double, as Hadley King had a sixth-inning single.

Johnson earned the pitching victory, striking out seven and walking two.

And on June 5, State Farm pulled out a 16-14 triumph over Stuga North in Negaunee despite Stuga holding a 9-4 edge in hits.

State Farm’s Emelia Niemi hit an inside-the-park homer to score three runs in the third inning, while teammates Malaya Belen and Adalyn Lehtinen also had a hit.

Johnson again earned the pitching victory, walking three and fanning two, as Niemi added an inning on the rubber.

Story contents based on information received from Little League assistant district administrator Don Gladwell and Negaunee LL representative Kyle Johnson. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.