Midgettes win key game at Solon

SOLON SPRINGS, Wis. — Hurley moved into a first-place tie with Solon Springs after beating the Eagles 10-6 Monday night.

This is the first of two meetings between the teams this week with the second coming Thursday at Hurley. If Hurley beats Ironwood twice today and Solon Springs at home Thursday, the Midgettes will win the Indianhead Conference.

“That was a big victory; they showed a lot of character coming back,” Hurley assistant coach Joe Manzanares said.

Hurley scored once in the first and the Eagles scored three times after hitting four straight doubles in the bottom of the inning. Solon Springs added a run in the fourth. Hurley tied it at 4-4 with three runs in the fifth, went ahead with three more in the sixth and got some insurance runs with three in the seventh. Solon Springs scored twice in the bottom of the seventh.

“It was really nice to come back and win a game like that,” Manzanares said. “I think it’s a good buildup for games to come.”

Hurley’s Maria Swartz singled to score Kirkie Pecotte, who tripled, in the first inning.

In the fifth, Felicia Herlevi, Brittany Czarnecki and Tori Colassaco all drove in runs.

A three-run home run to deep centerfield by Paige Aho — way up into the trees, Manzanares said — put Hurley ahead 7-4 in the sixth inning. Pecotte and Swartz scored. That was Aho’s third home run of the year.

Czarnecki hit a solo home run to right center to start the seventh, her first of the year.

“She pulled a beautiful power shot,” Manzanares said of the lefty.

Gabby Pecotte and Swartz knocked in Hurley’s final two runs.

Gabby Pecotte was 3 for 3. Kirkie Pecotte, Swartz, Aho and Czarnecki all had two hits. Hurley tallied 13 hits.

“We know we have to play defense. They hit us. We just have to keep up with people,” Manzanares said.

Gabby Pecotte got the complete-game win. She struck out two and walked just one. She allowed 12 hits and six runs.

“After that first inning, we threw a lot of changeups, a lot of off-speed stuff,” Manzanares said.

The Hurley defense played well again, committing just one error.

Hurley hosts Ironwood for a doubleheader today.

Hurley 1 0 0 0 3 3 3 — 10 13 1

Solon Springs 3 0 0 1 0 0 2 — 6 12 2