Escanaba senior McKenzie Engebretson sprints toward first base during a game against Freeland on May 10, 2025 at Abrahamson Field in Escanaba. (“The Big Dog” Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press)

MARQUETTE –Make it eight-straight wins for No. 3 Escanaba softball.

The Eskymos (21-2) earned a pair of Great Northern Conference wins in a doubleheader against Marquette on Monday night. Here’s what went down.

Game one

No. 3 Escanaba 15, Marquette 0 (three innings)

The Eskymos pounced early and often. They also benefited from a handful of Sentinel errors, including three in the first inning to take a 10-0 lead after one inning.

Esky added five runs in the second off an RBI groundout from junior Addison Noblet, back-to-back bases loaded walks issued to seniors Katey Lamb and Carly Bowden and a two-run double from junior Harlee Coolman to lead 15-0 after two innings.

Senior Grayson LaMarche retired all nine batters in order with eight strikeouts with Layla Roman flying out for the first out of the second inning. LaMarche also finished 2-for-3 from the plate.

Senior Clara Braun went 3-for-3 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI. Junior Chloe Dubord finished 2-for-3 with three runs scored. Senior McKenzie Engebretson was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Senior Maddy Mott added a double and scored twice. Lamb was 1-for-3 with a double, three RBIs and three runs scored.

Charlye Swajanen was tagged with the loss, allowing 15 runs (eight earned) off 10 hits with three walks in 1 1/3 innings of relief. Lauren Johnson allowed two hits and struck out one across 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.

Game two

No. 3 Escanaba 20, Marquette 5 (four innings)

Esky caught fire again in the first inning. Braun was the only Eskymo that didn’t record a hit. LaMarche and Engebretson each belted doubles while Bowden kicked off the eight-run first inning with a grand slam. Mott added a two-run single while LaMarche’s double scored Mott and Dubord came up with an RBI sacrifice fly.

Esky added two runs in the second off a home run from junior Landry Bray and two in the third off an RBI double from Lamb and an RBI knock from Engebretson.

Marquette scratched one run across off an RBI single from Halle Haynes in the bottom of the third, but Esky put up another eight spot in the top of the fourth off an error, three bases loaded walks, Coolman being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and a two-run single from Mott and an RBI knock from Braun.

Lamb, Engebretson, Mott, Bray and Noblet all had multi-hit games. Bray took the win in the circle, allowing five unearned runs off three hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

Johnson took the loss for Marquette, allowing 20 earned runs off 15 hits with 10 walks and two strikeouts.

What’s next

The No. 3 Eskymos will stay on the road and face 19-1 Gladstone, the No. 4 team in Division 3, for two games starting at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.