Lady Norse sweep Cardinal softball 9

HIBBING—Scoring runs early, or scoring runs late.

That doesn’t matter for the Minnesota North-Mesabi Range softball team.

In fact, that’s what the Lady Norse did in a MCAC Northern Division contest against Minnesota North-Hibbing Wednesday at the Bennett Park Field.

Minnesota North-Mesabi Range scored eight early runs in game one, then scored 10 runs in the final two innings of game two to sweep that doubleheader against the Cardinals, 19-6 and 10-6.

In game one, the Lady Norse got three runs in the first inning as Haley Greenly hit an inside-the-park home run, Liz Hey doubled and scored on an error and Janie Potts had an RBI single.

Minnesota North-Hibbing came back with two runs in its half of the first as Ana Herrera doubled and scored on wild pitch, then Morgan Dertinger hit a solo home run, but Minnesota North-Mesabi Range added five runs in the second to lead 8-2.

Greenly had a two-run single, Potts and Madeline Kallberg each had RBI singles and Claire Cushman knocked in a run when she reached on an error.

“It’s always big to get the lead right away, to jump on them,” Mesabi Range coach Brad Matuszak said. “That’s what we talk about, especially when we’re the visitors. In our first at bat, we want to get some runs, and get on top of them right away.”

The Lady Norse added to their lead in the third as Greenly hit an RBI triple and Hey had an RBI single to make it 10-2.

The Cardinals weren’t about to go down without a fight, scoring twice in the third to cut the deficit to six.

Dertinger had the big hit with a two-run, inside-the-park home run.

“We hit the ball better, but our defense has to improve,” Hibbing coach Babe Glumack said. “Our defense is our Achilles heel right now. We put the ball in play, but Mesabi has some good hitters. Our pitcher has to hit her spots better, and keep the ball down.

“They’re a good-hitting team, but I liked what I saw from our hitting. We have to get better defensively, and our pitching has to get better. That’s the bottom line.”

Minnesota North-Mesabi Range added one run in the fourth as Kallberg hit a fly ball that was misplayed for an error, allowing her to race around the bases to make it 11-4.

Minnesota North-Hibbing would score two runs in the fifth as Monroe Rewertz and Briana Perez both hit RBI singles to make it 11-6.

The Cardinals weren’t about to go away easily.

“I give Hibbing a lot of credit,” Matuszak said. “There was no quit out of them. They made us earn it. We definitely picked it up. In that last inning, Haley pitched another beautiful game for us.

“Things are coming together.”

The Cardinals shot at a comeback ended in the top of the sixth as the Lady Norse sent 12 batters to the plate, scoring eight runs to take a 13-run lead.

Katie Peck had the big hit, a three-run home, and Potts add a solo shot. Joey Westby had a two-run single. Kallberg had an RBI base hit, and she knocked in one when she reached on an error.

“Everyone finally got their timing down,” Matuszak said. “We got a little bit of confidence going, then it snowballed with everybody. That was nice to see.”

Even though Minnesota North-Hibbing had eight hits, the Cardinals couldn’t match the Minnesota North-Mesabi Range firepower.

“We’ve got some good hitters in our top five,” Glumack said. “We did hang in there. We scored a bunch of runs but after that, Mesabi came back and scored its own runs. We have to do a better job with that.”

“We have to play defense and get pitching. That’s what wins ball games. All we can do is keep battling.”

Greenly got the pitching win, tossing seven innings of eight-hit ball. She struck out seven.

Perez got the loss, working seven innings and giving up 19 hits. She struck out two.

In game, the Cardinals turned the tables on the Lady Norse, jumping out to a 6-0 lead after two innings.

Rewertz had an RBI single in the first, then she eventually scored on a wild pitch.

In the second, Minnesota North-Hibbing loaded the bases as Morgan Lien walked, Katlyn Trudel singled and Herrera singled.

Rewertz came up and blasted a game-slam home run over the left-field wall to give the Cardinals that six-run lead.

“I liked that,” Glumack said. “I didn’t like the last inning, but I liked the first two innings. We had a six-run lead, but it came back again to defense. I’m preaching on that. We have to make routine plays.

“If we make the routine plays, we win the game, but we are getting better. We’re hitting the ball.”

How would the Lady Norse handle that adversity?

“We haven’t had a lot of adversity like that all year,” Matuszak said. “It was good to see that we could survive through it. I had confidence in them. We made a pitching change, not from anything Katie (Peck) did wrong. She pitched great.

“They made some good contact, but once Haley came in, I knew she was going to get us going again. I had faith. It was dwindling every inning, but I’m glad they came around.”

Herrera, who started in the circle for the Cardinals, only allowed one hit through the first five innings, getting a lot of help from defense.

“We did play good defense in those five innings, then we gave up a lot of runs,” Glumack said. “It’s a devastating loss, but we have to pick the pieces up and go from there.”

It started in the top of sixth as Minnesota North-Mesabi Range scored five times to cut the deficit to one.

Westby doubled and scored on an error, Peck had an RBI double, and Potts hit a two-run home run. Kallberg also had an RBI base hit.

“It was getting our timing down,” Matuszak said. “We were off, and she was throwing some good pitches. We were popping everything up. It took us a while to get going, but I’m glad we did.

“Janie got that big home run, so that got us going. That got us excited a little bit, and that carried over into the seventh inning, too.”

In the seventh, Westby singled, with one out, stole second and took third on a throwing error.

Elizabeth Hey tied the game with an RBI base hit, then after another error, Potts hit a sacrifice fly to give the Lady Norse the lead. Cushman had an RBI base hit, and Kallberg knocked in a run when she reached on an error.

“That was big that Joey got on right after that first out,” Matuszak said. “Once she got on, I knew that if we just hit the ball, we could get her across the plate. I’m glad we got a couple there, especially with Haley on the mound. It doesn’t take many runs.

“The more the merrier. That’s always nice.”

Peck started the game and left after two innings, giving up five hits. She struck out three. Greenly worked five innings, allowing just two hits and striking out seven.

Herrera allowed eight hits and struck out two.

BASEBALL

Rock Ridge 17,

Two Harbors 3

TWO HARBORS—The Rock Ridge baseball team scored early and often on Wednesday as they cruised past Two Harbors 17-3 in five innings.

Despite collecting just eight hits, the Wolverines put up at least two runs in every inning, including a six-run third that put them up 12-2.

Rock Ridge used a platoon of pitchers to get the job done with Isaac Lindhorst getting the start and the win, giving up two runs (both unearned) on one hit and one walk over two innings. He struck out five betters.

Tyler Reid pitched the next inning, allowing nothing while striking out two and Joey Aho took the fourth inning, striking out three and giving up nothing.

Blake Bailey closed the game in the fifth, giving up an unearned run, a hit and a walk. He fanned two.

At the plate, Tate Uhan was 2-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Aho was 2-3 with two runs scored. Gunnar George, Alec Troutwine, Will Kemp and Caz Carlson all collected hits as well.

Rock Ridge plays host to Hermantown Friday.