KINGSFORD — Despite a late rally, the Gladstone Braves came up short 8-7 against the Negaunee Miners Thursday afternoon in Negaunee.

“I’m very pleased with the way we kept a very powerful offensive hitting team in check tonight between Montgomery (Pepin) and collectively as a group defensively,” said Braves coach Rick Pepin. “Negaunee has been putting up a lot runs this season, and I thought defensively with the combination of pitching we kept them in check and almost pulled it off. We had them on their heels there for a couple moments.”

Montgomery Pepin pitched the entirety of the game and had 10 strikeouts with 11 walks. She was also 2-3 at the plate.

Reese Herioux started the Braves rally in the sixth with an RBI to put the team down 4-3.

Enter freshman Addie Trombley with the bases loaded. The first pitch comes her way, and she smacks it out of the park for a grand slam.

“For Addie, what a cool moment,” said coach Pepin. “She’s only a freshman. When she came to the plate, I kind of whispered in her ear. I just told her, ‘All you need to do right now is just make good, solid, contact and put the ball in play. That’s all we need you to do.’

“It was amazing. She is one of the smallest kids n our team. It just goes to show you never let size define who you are as a hitter. She just proved as a freshman that no moment is too big for her.”

Marnea Trudeau also had a homer — her first of the year — in the game that put Gladstone on the board.

“That got us on the board early in the game when we were down 3-0,” said coach Pepin. “That was a big lift for us from our senior Marnea.”

He added the Braves issues against the Miners were self-imposed.

“We kind of hurt ourselves tonight,” he said. “Our baserunning was not a strong point for us. We were doubled up three times tonight on just not being smart on the bases, and we allowed Negaunee to get out of some tough jams because we just weren’t baserunners tonight.”

The Braves battle the Flivvers on Monday in Kingsford.