The Glen Lake softball team remains in second place in the Northwest Conference after winning two extra-inning contests Tuesday night over Mesick.

The Lakers, 15-5 overall, 6-2 in the conference, earned the wins without the services of six players.

“We have four girls off on a physics trip this week and two off on a government trip,” said coach Gary Galla Tuesday night.

The Bulldogs and Lakers were tied 2-all going into the eighth inning when Erika Easter’s two-run single secured the 4-2 win in the first game. Danielle Noonan threw all eight innings in the winning effort for Glen Lake. Haley Sobczak had a RBI single. Tara Novak and Shannon Galla each stole two bases and scored a run.

In the nightcap, the Lakers were down 3-2 going into the bottom of the seventh when Noonan’s single brought in the tying run. With the bases loaded, Easter hit a blooper into the outfield to score the winning run, 4-3. Noonan was the winning pitcher and had 3 hits. Cori Kahler had 2 hits, but twisted a knee in the sixth inning. Galla said he did not know if Kahler’s knee injury was serious. Noonan and Kahler are Glen Lake’s powerhouse pitching duo.

On Monday Glen Lake hosted Leland and won both games, 14-0, 18-3. Noonan and Kahler combined in a pitching effort that limited Leland to four hits over both games. For Glen Lake, Sabrina Galla had 3 hits, 4 RBI; Tara Novak had 2 hits, 2 RBI and scored 4 runs; Lauryn Pleva had 2 hits, 2 RBI; and Hayley Blough had 2 hits.

For Leland, Dena Popp had 2 singles in the first game and Danielle Seitter had a single.

In the second game, Kaleigh Blackburn had 3 hits, 2 RBI; Easter and Shannon Galla each had 2 hits, 2 RBI; and Novak had 2 RBI and scored 3 runs. Popp and Seitter teamed up for most of the Comet offense in the second game, with Seitter hitting a double and Popp getting a RBI.

“We’re a young team and we’ll keep working at improving,” Leland coach Charlie Gann said.

On Friday the Lakers hosted St. Francis and split, losing the first game 5-2 and winning the nightcap 6-5.

“That first game was tough. Danielle pitched a great game, but we had five unearned runs,” Coach Galla said. Novak had 2 hits and Blackburn had 1 hit with 2 RBI.

In the second game, Noonan and Kahler combined for the win and allowed 5 hits. Novak had 3 hits and scored 3 runs; Kristen Pleva and Sabrina Galla each had 2 RBI with Pleva adding 2 hits. The Lakers were up 6-1 going in to the sixth inning then gave up four runs, but were able to hang on for the win.

A young Suttons Bay team is working on finding its rhythm this season. The Norse hosted Kingsley in a Northwest doubleheader Tuesday and lost, 8-5, 18-0.

“The first game we could have had, but the bats started going late in the third inning, which started a comeback that wasn’t good enough,” said coach Jen Kloosterman. Laureen Schmidt pitched five innings with Christa Nesky finishing the task in the sixth for the Norse.

Schmidt hit 2 singles; Nesky hit a single and a triple with 2 RBI; Krista Young had a single; Taylor Mentzer had a single and 1 RBI; Katie Joupperi had 1 RBI; and Biri Luna hit a single and a double.

In the nightcap, Luna and Kelli Ruthkowski each hit a single. “We made some errors, but they (Kingsley) hit well, too,” Kloosterman said. “We are getting better, but cutting out the errors is so important for us right now,” she said.

Glen Lake will host a tournament on Saturday, May 12, with the Lakers taking on Benzie at 9 a.m. The second game has Traverse City Central taking on Allen Park Cabrini, ranked No. 1 in Division IV by the coaches association this week. “I believe Allen Park is undefeated going on two years now. They are tough,” Coach Galla said. The consolation game will be around 2 p.m. with the championship at 3:30 p.m. The Lakers will host Kingsley on Tuesday.

Suttons Bay will host St. Francis today and St. Mary tomorrow.