Bark River-Harris sophomore Kaiya Davis delivers a pitch against Ishpeming on April 15, 2024 at Bark River softball field. (Adam Hinch/Daily Press)

BARK RIVER — A softball doubleheader found Bark River-Harris on the wrong side of two mercy rule games against Ishpeming falling 18-7 in game one and 16-3 in game two.

“We are a young team,” Broncos coach Rob Arndt said. “We are going through some growing pains hopefully we can get through them and get to playing good ball at the right time.”

The Hemaities got on the scoreboard first as freshman Marie Salisbury hit an RBI triple to give them a 1-0 lead.

The Broncos answered with a double by freshman Stella Rebitzke who later scored on a wild pitch to tie the game at one after two innings of play.

The Hematites took the lead back in the top of the third inning as senior Payton Manninen singled to bring in a run. After Ishpeming added another run, senior Jenna Maki hit an RBI single to give the Hematites a 4-1 lead.

In the bottom of the third inning sophomore Kaet Erickson hit a two-run double to centerfield and the Broncos pulled within 4-3.

The Hematites began to blow the game open in the fourth inning when Manninen hit an RBI single that was followed up by a two-run double by junior Brynn Lanala to give Ishpeming a 7-3 lead. Maki answered back with a double of her own that scored one and later scored herself and Ishpeming led 9-3 after four innings.

In the fourth inning Lanala doubled again bringing home two more runs and Ishpeming led 11-3. “Brynn was hitting the ball well tonight,” Ishpeming coach Ben McGuire said. “We did a good job hitting today as a team and I feel we really had thing going today.” Ishpeming took a 13-3 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning.

The Broncos tried to rally in the bottom of the fifth as Ella Gonzales and Erickson each had RBI singles in the inning.

The Broncos cut the lead to 13-7 after five innings. However, the Hematites pushed five across in the top of the sixth to secure the win.

The second game started off just like the first with Manninen coming thru with a single and scoring on a wild pitch to give the Hematites a 1-0 lead.

The Broncos answered in the bottom of the first as senior Faith Javurek singled and leter scored and Gonzales came thru with a nice bunt that resulted in her reaching base and a runner at third coming home on the throw to first and the Broncos took the lead at 2-1.

Ishpeming blew the game open in the second inning as Maki hit a triple and later scored as part of a five run inning and the Hematites led 6-2.

The Hematites added nine runs in the fifth inning as they had five hits and went through their entire batting order and secured the sweep.