THREE RIVERS, Mich.---After having a tournament canceled last weekend, and two more games canceled this weekend, the Escanaba High School softball team finally got to play two games in chilly southern Lower Michigan on Saturday.

The girls lost their opener to the Jackson Northwest Mounties, 6-3, before rebounding to mercy the Three Rivers Wildcats, 16-0, to earn the season-opening split.

In the game against Jackson, Lizzy Sliva hit two home runs, in the second and fourth innings, and the Eskymos were in a 2-2 tie until the sixth inning.

The Mounties, however, scored two runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh against relief pitcher Grayson LaMarche.

Jackson pitcher Navaeh Ingrahm, who has committed to play at Grand Valley State University, was tough, striking out 18 Eskymo batters. She ended up allowing only two other base hits besides Sliva's two dingers.

The second game was much better for Escanaba as the bats woke up and pummeled the host team with 18 base hits in a five-inning mercy-rule victory.

Isy Braun had two hits: both of them home runs, including a grand slam, as she drove in six of the Escanaba runs. Sliva added three more hits and scored three times, Delaney McIntyre drove in three runs, and Paxton Bullen had two hits and two RBI.

Emily Moore cruised on the mound, throwing a five-inning no-hitter with seven strikeouts. The Wildcats had only two baserunners, both on Eskymo errors.

Escanaba is scheduled to have its home opener on April 26 against Negaunee.