GWINN — The Marquette Senior High School varsity softball team breezed through a doubleheader at Gwinn on Wednesday, winning 23-1 and 25-0 as each game went five innings.

In the opening game, Charlye Swajanen supported her own effort on the pitching rubber, knocking in four runs as she went a perfect 5 for 5 while scoring three times.

On the rubber, the righthander allowed just one hit, though it was a fourth-inning homer to the Modeltowners’ Shawna Sundholm, while striking out 10 and walking none.

Marquette plated a modest two runs in the first inning before erupting for 12 in the second to break the game open.

In the big rally, Swajanen hit a two-run single, followed by an error scoring another, then Eva Dewitt hitting another two-run single. After that, teammate Alexa Whaley collected a run-scoring single, Ady Trapani a two-run double and Sammi Trapani a run-scoring two-base hit. Finally, Ava Hanford knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly, Swajanen brought in another run with a double, and a wild pitch scored the final run of the inning.

Seven more runs came home in the third on four hits. Back-to-back errors each scored a run, while Whaley scored on an out and Nora Skytta drew a bases-loaded walk. Dewitt hit a run-scoring single with another error bringing two more home.

The Sentinels’ final runs came in the fourth with the big hits a Sammi Trapani solo homer to left field and Swajanen run-scoring single.

McKenna Wolfe went the distance on the rubber for Gwinn, giving up 23 runs — just 10 of them earned runs — on 18 hits and four walks while she struck out four. Her marathon day included facing 39 batters and throwing 140 pitches, 75 for strikes.

In addition to Swajanen’s 5-for-5 performance, Dewitt went 4 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs, while Sammi Trapani was 2 of 4 with four runs scored and an RBI.

At the top of the order, Skytta, Swajanen and CeCe Fuller each scored three times as Skytta drew two walks. Marquette also stole six bases, including two apiece by Sammi Trapani and Dewitt.

In the nightcap, Fuller went all five innings on the pitching rubber for the Sentinels, again allowing just one hit, a single by Sundholm, no walks and 11 strikeouts.

Sundholm pitched for the Modeltowners, facing 40 batters and throwing 71 strikes in 130 pitches. She allowed 25 runs — 10 earned — on 14 hits and eight walks as she fanned five.

MSHS built momentum, as after leading 7-0 through two innings Marquette scored nine runs in both the third and fourth, not needing to bat in the fifth as the home team in this game.

At the bottom of the batting order, Sammi Trapani went 3 for 4 with three RBIs and two runs, while Skytta, Swajanen, Whaley and Lily Smigiel each had two hits. Both of Whaley’s hits were doubles, as was one each by Dewitt, Smigiel, Swajanen and Sammi Trapani. Skytta had a triple, while Dewitt hit a sac fly and stole two bases.

In the nine-run third, when MSHS collected seven hits, Smigiel hit an RBI single, Sammi Trapani an RBI double and Swajanen a two-run double. Then Dewitt had a run-scoring sac fly, Grace Sandstrom an RBI single, Whaley an RBI double and Sammi Trapani a two-run single.

For the fourth, another nine-run rally, one run each was scored on an error, Whaley single, Ady Trapani single, Sammi Trapani single and Skytta fielder’s choice.

Then a pair of errors scored a total of three runs while Dewitt got the final run with a double.

The Sentinels host two twinbills to start next week, hosting Superior Central at 4:30 p.m. Monday and Sault Ste. Marie at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Story contents based on emails from Bill Finkbeiner of MSHS softball and GameChanger Media-produced reports. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.