CALUMET — After a week off, the Rapid River Rockets were back in action in a doubleheader against the Copper Kings in Calumet with two close games going the way of Calumet, 9-4 and 6-5.

“With senior awards night last week, followed by a three-day senior class trip, graduation on Saturday and Memorial Day weekend, we have not had a game or full team practice in eight days,” said Rockets coach George Kanyuh. “I think there was a little rust to chip off. Throw in a three-hour drive and an 80-degree day, and by the end of game two, we were feeling it.”

Natalie Belanger pitched both games for Rapid.

In the first, she struck out nine with no walks and gave up eight hits.

Her stats were near identical to the first game in the nightcap with nine strikeouts, eight allowed hits and two walks.

Carrigen Flath had two hits in the opener with an RBIR.

In the second game, Belanger and Cecilia Pilon each had two hits with a double, while Myah Pearson notched three hits.

Kanyuh noted fewer errors — one in game one, three in game two — as an improvement from early in the season.

“This is a huge cutback from what we were committing earlier in the year and a great sign for our team as we now play for the district title Friday,” he said. “The games against Calumet, especially after basically a week off, were a nice tune-up for us leading up to the district tournament.”

The Rockets will face the winner of a game between Norway and Bark River-Harris Friday in Bark River.