Rough start for ’Hawks

Vermilion begins climb back after four losses at Northland

The Vermilion Ironhawks need to dig their way out of a deep hole.

That climb back began Wednesday at Aurora, where the community college baseball team swept rival Mesabi 15-0 and 13-5.

For the Ironhawks (1114), the two wins were badly needed and came on the heels of a disastrous weekend at Thief River Falls, as Northland took four straight games to open Northern Division play.

Vermilion was plagued by bad defense against the Pioneers, but may have righted its ship against Mesabi, going two games without an error.

The Ironhawks also had plenty of offense and strong starts on the mound from freshmen Parker Coach and Jerron Turney, who both went three innings in their respective starts.

Coach held the Norse without a hit in the opener while Turney was nicked for a run in the first but ended his stint by retiring seven straight hitters.

Several Vermilion relievers had solid but brief outings, and the Ironhawks may have built some confidence going into this weekend’s four-game set with Hibbing.

“We badly needed a win and more than that, to just play well,” said head coach Tom Coombe. “Not much went right for us out at Thief River, and we couldn’t let that snowball as we have huge games ahead and we need to fight our way back into contention.”

Vermilion is hitting over .300 as a team and gave its pitcher plenty of run support against Mesabi, Sophomore infielder DeSoto Hood drove in four runs on a couple of hits, while freshman shortstop Will Thibodeau was two-forthree with two runs scored and two runs batted in.

Sophomore Jack Velasque added two hits and two RBI from the designated hitter spot, and freshman outfielder Landon Wilkins added two hits with two RBI.

After Coach, both Nolan Roode and Nick Berglund fired scoreless innings of relief.

Vermilion exploded for five runs in the bottom of the first to take early control of the nightcap.

Thibodeau had a two-run double and Charlie Spahn added a two-run single during the rally.

Spahn, a sophomore catcher from Milwaukee, connected later on his first career home run, while Berglund ignited a spark at the top of the order and finished three-for-four with three runs scored.

Mason Kostka and Chris Arambula scored twice each for Vermilion, while Franklin Wildes, Jake Palomo and Arambula all had scoreless innings in relief.

Turney, who is from Haxtun, Col, gained his first collegiate pitching win.

• Vermilion had costly errors late in the series opener with Northland, as the Pioneers scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the seventh to take the first game 5-4.

It was a tough-luck loss on the mound for Marcus Haire, who allowed two earned runs and scattered seven hits.

Arambula was three-forthree and Thibodeau finished with two hits for Vermilion.

Northland held Vermilion to four hits, and the Ironhawks had seven errors while losing Saturday’s second game 8-1. Chase Snyder drove in the only run and sophomore Jacob Mickelson was tagged with the pitching loss.

Northland hurler Isaac Mata took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and finished with a one-hitter as the Pioneers took Sunday’s opener 6-0.

Kostka had the only Vermilion hit and Palomo was the losing pitcher.

Northland won the series finale in a 13-9 slugfest, scoring four runs in the final two frames.

Hood drove in three runs for the Ironhawks, Kostka knocked in two and Jake Casazza had two hits and two RBI.