NEGAUNEE — The Escanaba softball team was put on the back foot by undefeated Negaunee Thursday and couldn’t rally past the early deficit.

The Eskymos fell to the Miners 7-3.

The Miners jumped ahead in the bottom of the first, scoring four runs before exiting.

The Eskymos added one in the top of the second on a McKayla Mott fly double that scored Anna Boutilier, but that was as far as Escanaba capitalized.

After the Miners added another in the bottom of the third, Escanaba found some success in the top of the fourth.

The runs didn’t get going until after a walk and two outs. Lizzy Sliva took an opportunity and smashed one over the center field fence to cut the Eskymos deficit to 5-3, but a pop out immediately after cut off their momentum.

Emily Moore took the loss for the Eskymos over four innings, allowing seven hits, seven runs (5 ER) and walked two.

Mott pitched two in relief, giving up no hits and striking out three.

Carney Salo, Nicole Kamin and Mott each collected a hit apiece for the Eskymos, and Sliva notched two RBIs.

Negaunee’s Josie Thomson earned the win, allowing six hits, three runs and one walk while striking out four.

Escanaba visits Gaylord today for a single game.