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Runs came in bunches last weekend for the Vermilion Ironhawks.
But despite putting 36 runs on the board and sending several balls over the fence at Aurora, all the community college baseball team had to show for the weekend was a four-game split.
Three seventh-inning runs stunned the Ironhawks and gave Hibbing a 10-9 victory in Sunday’s opening game and the Cardinals plated 10 first-inning runs on the way to a 19-6 triumph in the nightcap.
Those defeats cooled down Vermilion, which scored 10-5 and 11-6 victories Saturday and was coming off a stretch that includes 46 runs in four games.
Vermilion, now 13-16 overall, is fighting for playoff position and needs to turn things around heading into a four-game set with division- leading Itasca, which begins today at 1 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Field.
The Ironhawks are hitting at a .309 clip this spring, with 77 extra-base hits and a nine runs per game average, yet its defense and pitching have been inconsistent.
“We’re having to outscore teams to win and you can’t do that all the time,” said head coach Tom Coombe. “We’ve had some injuries that have taken their toll on our pitching depth and we’ve been too shaky in the field at times. That’s something we’ll have to reverse if we are going to make a run here in the last three weeks.”
At 2-6 in division play, the Ironhawks are in the same spot they were in 2023, when they won eight of their last 12 contests and qualified for the regional tournament.
“We’ll need to do that again to have a chance,” said Coombe.
Everything seemed to click for Vermilion Saturday, as sophomore pitcher Marcus Haire gained his fourth win of the spring, holding the Cardinals to five hits over six innings.
He also got plenty of help from the Vermilion bats, as sophomore Mason Kostka went three-for-three with five runs batted in and classmate Jake Casazza connected for a two-run homer and a sacrifice fly.
First baseman Chase Snyder was two-for-three with two runs scored and two runs batted in, and shortstop Chris Arambula added two hits.
In the nightcap, DeSoto Hood was three-for-three with a two-run homer, three runs scored and three RBI.
Casazza added another home run, Nick Berglund singled in a run and Arambula added two more hits.
On the mound, freshman Landon Wilkins worked five frames, gave up six hits and picked up his third win. Another freshman arm, Jerron Turney of Haxtun, CO, worked the last two innings.
The wind was blowing out during Sunday’s first game, and both teams hit four home runs.
Hood’s two-run blast in the sixth, his fifth round-tripper of the year, tied the game at six and Berglund followed with a solo shot in the same frame to give Vermilion a 7-6 lead.
Hibbing tied the contest with a sixth-inning home run but Vermilion countered with two runs in the top of the seventh.
The Ironhawks left the bases loaded and the cushion wasn’t enough.
Hibbing scored twice on bases-loaded walks and a ground ball past a drawn-in infield scored the game-winner.
Jake Palomo took the pitching loss in relief of starter Jacob Mickelson, while both Frankln Wildes and Arambula added two-run homers in the game.
Vermilion was deflated for the series finale, and Hibbing scored 10 runs - all with two outs - in the bottom of the first.
Wilkins singled twice and drove in two runs for Vermilion, while Hood added two hits.
Freshman Parker Coach took the pitching loss with Nolan Roode, Xavier Ibarra and Arambula all coming on in relief.
