AURORA—Better late than never.
The Hibbing High School baseball team was held off the scoreboard for six innings against Mesabi East starting pitcher Dakota Kruse, who limited the Bluejackets to just four hits through those six innings and only one good scoring chance.
All it took was a half-of-an-inning to do some damage.
Hibbing equalled its hit total in the seventh, scoring three times, en route to a 3-2 victory over the Giants at the Mesabi East Sports Complex.
Up to that point, however, the Bluejackets just couldn’t get anything going against Kruse.
“We talked going into the seventh, and the message was we still had one more opportunity, so let’s go see if we can win this,” Hibbing coach Jay Wetzel said. “I was proud of our guys.
“We responded well, and we were able to create some things and not only tie the game, but take the lead.”
The best chance Hibbing had to score was in the second when Kaden Augustine and Jace Kampsula hit back-to-back singles. A sacrifice bunt by Ryder Petrie moved them up a base, but Kruse got the next two Bluejacket hitters out to end the threat.
Hibbing starting pitcher Blake Kolden was just as tough on Mesabi East, allowing just two hits through the first four innings, but Hibbing ran into trouble in the fifth.
Landon Luke led off for the Giants and hit a fly ball to right field.
The ball was dropped for a two-base error, then the relay throw went well down the left-field line, allowing Luke to score the first run of the game.
“We had a wonky play in the outfield where we had a ball in the air that we were able to catch, but we didn’t,” Wetzel said. “What might have been an out turned out to be a run. That was a play we don’t ever want to see again.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen one like that at the varsity level.”
Giants coach Chad Sahr felt his team was fortunate to be up by one.
“I was happy with it, but obviously, I wasn’t happy with the way we hit,” Sahr said. “We only had two hits on the day. I thought we were lucky to be winning 2-0. I told my guys we should have been losing 4-0 going into the seventh instead of winning 2-0, just the way our offense was.
“We have to get better. We had no business having two runs with only two hits. It worked out well. We executed a nice play to get that second run.”
That second run came in the sixth when Easton Sahr reached on an error and sent to second on an errant pick-off attempt. He stole third, then scored when Ryder Gerulli laid down a perfect suicided squeeze bunt.
“I thought that was the run we needed, the insurance run,” Sahr said.
Even Wetzel thought it was the run Mesabi East needed to seal the deal.
“One run keeps it a lot tighter,” Wetzel said. “With two, they have a little more cushion, a little more wiggle room. When they scored that second one, we knew we had a bigger challenge coming up.”
That challenge started with a Gavin Lamphere single. Courtesy runner Easton Fisher was balked to second, then Drew Forer grounded out to send Fisher to third.
Edric Cardona came up and doubled to the left-center field gap to make it 2-1.
“He’s been swinging better, but it hasn’t necessarily translated into a lot of hits so far,” Wetzel said. “In fact, he’s walked a lot. He’s been on base a ton, but in terms of hits, there haven’t been a whole lot this year.
“He did a great job. He barreled up a ball and drove it to the gap like we needed him to.”
Kruse would strikeout the next hitter, but he had to be lifted from the game due to his pitch count.
That brought in xxxx xxxx to finish the game.
Cardona would reach third on a wild pitch, and with two out, Tait Swanson lined a single up the middle, scoring Cardona and tying it 2-2.
“We had him in the No. two slot because he’s a contact guy,” Wetzel said. “Having that part of the order coming up, made us feel more comfortable because he does tend to get contact.
“We needed to put the ball into play.”
After that, Luke Nelson came to the plate.
Nelson hit a pop fly down the right field line that fell in for a double.
Swanson, who was running on contact, scored all of the way from first base to give the Bluejackets the lead.
“The wind probably helped us by knocking down that ball,” Wetzel said. “Tate was wheeling like crazy, running as hard as he could, to score on that play. It was huge for us.”
After that, Kolden, who was starting for the first time this season, did his job, retiring Mesabi East in order in the seventh.
He struck out eight, allowed two hits and walked two in his first start of the season.
“Part of it is you don’t get into the seventh if you aren’t efficient,” Wetzel said. “With a pitch count of 105, he came into the seventh with 82 pitches. He was extremely efficient. When you throw strikes, the defense generally plays well behind him.
“For a first varsity appearance, not a start, but appearance on the mound, to go a complete game and win like that was impressive. We were looking forward to having him start. We had targeted that, but we were looking for a few innings. We’re pleasantly surprised to have a complete-game win.”
Kruse allowed six hits. He struck out nine and walked three.
“Our starting pitcher pitched well, then he ran out of pitches,” Sahr said. “We made a pitching change, and their No. 8 hitter comes in and gets a big hit at the end. We thought everything was looking good with a two-run lead, and their seven, eight and nine hitters coming up.
“The bottom of their order got it done. They got the hits when they needed it, and that’s the difference. They came back and battled in the seventh.”
Boys Tennis
Hibbing 4,
Mora 3
MORA—The Bluejackets swept all of the doubles matches and got one singles match en route to the win over Mustangs Friday.
Benny Galli got the lone singles win, beating Tyler Hager in three sets, 1-6, 7-6 (7), 6-1.
In doubles, Cooper Hendrickson and Keaton Petrick beat Ole Bakke and Sam Olson 6-1, 6-2; Tyler Fisher and Joey Gabardi beat Liam Connolly and Connor Sjodin 6-0, 6-0; and Brady Fosso and Ethan Johnson beat Alex Zertuche and Tanner Anderson 6-2, 6-4.
Hibbing 4, Mora 3
Singles: No. 1—Joe Sampson, M, def. Isaiah Hildenbrand, 6-0, 6-0; No. 2—Case Axtell, M, def. Jack Gabardi, 6-3, 6-7 (4), 10-8; No. 3—Will Sand, M, def. Rex Walli, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4; No. 4—Benny Galli, H, def. Tyler Hager, 1-6, 7-6 (7), 6-1.
Doubles: No. 1—Cooper Hendrickson-Keaton Petrick, H, def. Ole Bakke-Sam Olson, 6-1, 6-2; No. 2—Tyler Fisher-Joey Gabardi, H, def. Liam Connolly-Connor Sjodin, 6-0, 6-0; No. 3—Brady Fosso-Ethan Johnson, H, def. Alex Zertuche-Tanner Anderson, 6-2, 6-4.
Boys Golf
Northern Invite
BIWABIK—The Hibbing High School boys golf team totalled a 666 to place third at the two-day Northern Invite held at The Quarry at Giants Ridge.
Cloquet won the meet with a 646, followed by Duluth Eastl at 658. Grand Rapids and the Bluejackets tied for third. Placing fifth was Hermantown at 669, followed by Rock Ridge at 676. Proctor/Esko was seventh at 677.
Rounding out the field were Fergus Falls 678, Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin 715, Duluth Marshall, Two Harbors, Cannon Falls 755, Duluth Denfeld 767, Rock Ridge 2 776, International falls 783 and Mesabi East.
Hibbing was led by Andrew Slatten, who finished tied for third with a two-day total of 157. Ethan Sundvall was 11th (163) and Gavin Schweiberger 20th (169).
Kyle Peterson of Duluth East fired a 150 to win the event.
Caiden Carpenter led the Titans with a 159 to place sixth.
Eli Devich of Rock Ridge was seventh with a 161. Ian Mikulich had a 167 to place 16th and Jace Kauppi was 22nd with a 171.
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