Todd Rose | Daily Press Gladstone’s Kenzington Pepin (2) is congratulated by her team after a grand slam against Rapid River Wednesday in Gladstone.

GLADSTONE — The Gladstone Braves picked up a sweep (15-0, 10-0) against the Rapid River Rockets Wednesday evening in Gladstone.

Both games ended via the mercy rule in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively.

“It’s very encouraging,” said Braves coach Rick Pepin of the wins. “It’s nice to see our hard work in practice pay off, today. We’re going in the right direction, and I think the girls’ confidence is going the right direction as well, which is important.”

Riley Gerow started the second game for the Braves and was credited with the win. Montgomery Pepin — who got the win on the mound for the Braves in the first game — relieved Gerow after two innings.

Up until the third inning — during which Rapid River put down three Gladstone batters to retire the side — of the nightcap, the Rockets held with the Braves allowing one run in the first as Kenzington Pepin scored on a passed ball and two in the second when Lu Martinez hit an inside the park home run to drive in Alaina Trudeau.

On the mound for Rapid River was Cecilia Pilon in place of Natalie Belanger. In the first game, Belanger was struck in the arm by a comeback line drive. Pilon finished that game and pitched all of the second.

In the fourth, with the bases loaded, Kenzington Pepin stepped into the batter’s box and ripped the ball over the fence for the grand slam to make it 7-0.

“We had bases loaded, and we missed a couple opportunities,” said coach Pepin. “Then Kenzi comes to plate and, man, she barreled that one up. That was a no-doubter. That’s just a special moment for a kid that really needs to find confidence.

“That’s why you coach, for moments like that.”

The Braves drove in three runs during the fifth to make it 10-0 and end the game.

With the lead, the chance to get some younger players in presented itself to Pepin.

“We gave some kids some opportunities today,” he said. “Aleisha Marenger hit the ball well for us today. Liv Blowers hit her first home run as a sophomore, and that’s another big moment for her.”

Pepin — who teaches at Rapid River — also sent his best to Belanger.

“I just hope that Natalie Belanger is OK,” he said. “I teach in Rapid, so I see those kids every day. I just hope she’s OK.”

Rockets coach George Kanyuh said they had to make some big changes with Belanger on the bench.

“We had girls out of position. We had girls in positions they haven’t played all year,” Kanyuh said. “We had to make some significant adjustments, and there was a little bit of shellshock that they had to work through. It made things difficult.”

With the loss, Kanyuh said the team is looking at the big picture and not just from a softball standpoint.

“You know, that’s sports,” he said. “They’re going to have bigger problems in life than what they faced tonight, and hopefully they all learned a little something from this experience.

“We’ll just keep plugging along.”

The Braves travel downstate for the Kalkaska Invitational, while the Rockets get a chance to rest before seeing Gladstone again Monday at home.