Norway junior Kara Stanchina (25) fires a pitch toward home plate against Bark River-Harris on May 6, 2024 at Marion Park. (Sean Chase/Daily News photo)

MARQUETTE — Although there is still snow covering much of the ground in the area, the 2025 season kicked off over the weekend for the Norway varsity softball team.

The Knights went to Marquette to participate in the Spring Swing at the Superior Dome and finished with a 2-1 record.

With three games on Sunday, Norway picked up wins over Houghton and Negaunee. Its lone loss came against Lake Linden-Hubbell.

KNIGHTS 13, GREMLINS 3

The Knights opened the day against Houghton.

Kara Stanchina took the win for Norway, tallying three strikeouts and three walks in five innings.

After Stanchina retired the Gremlins in order in the first inning, the Knights went to work. Stanchina opened the bottom of the inning with a single. She later scored on a ground ball from Jordyn Moln, putting Norway ahead 1-0.

Houghton scored three runs between the second and third innings, taking a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the third.

The Gremlins’ lead didn’t last long as Moln smacked a single to left field, scoring Stanchina. Peyton Paquette followed that up with a two-run single to center field, putting the Knights ahead 4-3. They wouldn’t trail again.

Norway scored nine runs in the final two innings to secure the win.

Stanchina finished a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate and drew a walk. Moln had two hits and two RBI, Aidan Fisher tallied four RBI on three hits, Paquette notched two RBI and Kaylee Baldwin added an RBI.

Anna DeBidart tallied a stolen base while Stanchina swiped three.

LAKES 12, KNIGHTS 1

In the second game of the day, Norway fell to Lake Linden-Hubbell.

Burklund, a freshman, started the game for the Knights on the bump. She pitched 3.1 innings, striking out eight and allowing six earned runs.

The Lakes scored a run in the first inning and then tallied 11 total runs between the third and fourth frames.

Norway scored one run, in the top of fourth inning, off a Moln single.

Moln’s RBI led the Knights. She also tallied one of their two hits. Burklund had the other. Fisher and Burklund each notched a stolen base.

KNIGHTS 12, MINERS 3

Looking to finish on a high-note, Norway rallied against Negaunee. The Knights used a seven-run fifth inning to secure the win.

Moln pitched all five innings for Norway, striking out three and allowing three earned runs.

The Knights went right to work in the top of the first. Moln brought Stanchina home on a single to right field. Then a DeBidart single scored Fisher and they led 2-0.

Negaunee scored a run in the bottom half of the inning, but it couldn’t slow down the Norway bats.

The Knights tallied two runs in the second, one in the fourth and seven in the fifth to down the Miners.

Moln led Norway with three RBI on three hits. She also drew a walk.

The Knights also received contributions from Stanchina (2 hits), Burklund (2 hits, 1 RBI), Fisher (1 walk), Baldwin (1 hit, 2 RBI, 2 walks), DeBidart (2 hits, 2 RBI), Tessa Castelaz (2 walks), Tirah Hauswirth (2 walks, 1 RBI), Emily Temrowski (1 walk) and Deanna Cruz (1 hit, 2 RBI).

Norway’s first outdoor contest of the season is scheduled for April 7 in Oconto, Wis., against the Blue Devils.

Report compiled by Daily News sports editor Sean Chase.