The Superior Central softball team put the finishing touches on a fantastic regular season with a sweep over their rival on Thursday, May 23. The Lady Cougars were playing at Munising, where they won on scores of 11-0 (four innings) and 23-2 (three innings).

“The girls continue to hit the ball really well,” S-C head coach Rich Swajanen said. “Sammy Johnson is getting stronger as the year goes along and I think she’s really throwing good and with the hitters we have behind her, we just have to clean up the defense a little. We are working on it and getting better defensively.”

Johnson threw all four innings to get the win in the opener, giving up zero runs on one hit and seven strikeouts.

On offense, Johnson had two hits while with one apiece was Alice Hancock, Stephanie Nordness, Josie Hemminger, Hope Brunngraeber and Addie Frusti.

Getting the win in the circle in game two was freshman Payton Latvala; she tossed two innings without giving up a run and struck out one batter. Johnson tossed the final inning in relief.

Hanock had one double and one single to lead the offense and getting two hits each in the game was Kiera McDonald, Brunngraeber, Johnson, Ruth Johnson and Peyton Adams. “They hit the ball extremely well, they are pretty impressive,” Munising head coach Casey Ford said. “They’ve developed a really good program there.”

S-C also won a game at Bark River-Harris on Tuesday, May 21, 12-7. Game two was called off due to poor weather and field conditions. “A good game, it was tied up 3-3 after three, that was a good team to play, I wish we could have got to play them again,” Swajanen said. “They throw strikes and they field the ball so well, we hit a lot of balls and they ran them down.”

Johnson got the win pitching, giving up seven runs in the rainsoaked contest, while giving up three hits and striking out eight batters.

In the first inning, Hancock had a double and Nordness was able to drive in two runs in that frame. Hemminger also had a key home run in the contest. Frusti and Johnson had doubles late in the game and Rory Hancock added a single.

S-C and Munising face each other today (Friday) in a Division 4 district semi-final game at Munising’s Heroes Field at noon. The expected pitching match-up will be Brooklynn Joyner for Munising and Johnson for the Cougars.

“It’s the first time ever that we have hosted the district, that in of itself is exciting,” Ford said. “Joyner has all four wins for us this year, it is kind of a no-brainer as to why she is getting the ball. She has been out the last two weeks because of an injury.”

Ishpeming and Gwinn play in the other semi-final at 10 a.m., with the championship game set for 2 p.m. The district winner advances to regionals in Norway on June 8.