Superior Central’s Ceira McDonald delivers a pitch against Manistique on April 18, 2024 at Superior Central softball field. (Adam Hinch/Daily Press)

EBEN JUNCTION — An overcast and rainy day didn’t stop Superior Central softball as it picked up a sweep of Manistique taking game one 13-3 and the second game 15-7.

Game one

Ceira McDonald got the Cougars on the board in the first inning scoring on an error by the second baseman to give them a 1-0 lead. Later in the inning with the bases loaded Hope Brunngraeber hit a ground ball to the third baseman and scored on an error. Three of the next four batters reached on walks and the Cougars extended the lead to 5-0 after one.

In the second inning the Cougars put up four more runs including a two run double by Addie Frusti and the Cougars led 9-0.

“We did a good job on both sides of the ball,” Cougars coach Richard Swajanen said. “It wasn’t the best conditions with the cold and the rain but the players did a good job adjusting to it.” Alice Hancock went had three hits for the Cougars in the game to go along with three RBIs and four runs scored.

Sammy Johnson pitched a complete game for the Cougars giving up three runs on four hits with six strikeouts and two walks.

Game two

The Emeralds got on the board first in the second game highlighted by a single by Adele Ranney with Kaylin Morrison scoring on an error and the Emeralds led 2-0 going to the bottom of the first.

The Cougars quickly responded in the bottom half of the inning on back-to-back singles, and on the next at bat Johnson tripled to tie the game at two. The Cougars added two more runs of errors by the Emeralds to take a 4-2 lead.

Hancock tripled in the bottom of the second inning to bring in two more runs and extend the Cougars lead to 6-2.

The Cougars added two more runs in the bottom of the of the fourth and the Cougars had an 8-2 lead.

The Emeralds fought back in the fifth inning scoring five unearned runs to cut the Deficit to 8-7. The Emeralds had three batters hit by a pitch in the inning.

“We kinda got a little sloppy there in the second game,” Swajanen said. “We moved back to Sammy looking stop the damage.”

In the bottom of the sixth with the score still at 8-7. The Cougars went on a roar scoring seven runs highlighted by a triple by Rory Hancock that brought in two runs and a line drive single by Alice Hancock and the Cougars blew the lead to eight at 15-7.

Johnson struck out three of the four batters she faced in the seventh inning to end the game.