Pitching figured to be a strength for Vermilion’s baseball team this spring, but inconsistency on the mound proved to be the team’s Achilles heel.
Vermilion pitchers walked or beaned 28 batters in Saturday’s home opener, and despite outhitting visiting Hibbing, the Cardinals prevailed 7-4 and 9-5 at Veterans Memorial Field.
The following day, Vermilion’s Martin Cubillan and Brecken Boisvert both homered as the Ironhawks beat Hibbing 13-1 at Rock Ridge, but the Cardinals countered with a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth to secure a 5-4, second-game triumph.
By losing three-of-four with Hibbing, the Ironhawks fell to 3-11 in division play and were eliminated from playoff contention.
Vermilion tangles with first-place Itasca at 1 p.m. Saturday in Ely to close out the home portion of the regular season.
The Ironhawks went into last weekend needing a series win to keep their playoff hopes alive, but those collapsed with a series of walks and hit batsmen.
Hibbing clung to a 3-2 lead in the sixth inning of the opening game, but five walks in the last two frames gave the visitors valuable insurance runs.
TJ Frein, Griffin Stiel and Matthew Riehl all drove in runs for Vermilion, which outhit the Cardinals 7-6. Third baseman Charlie Mohr also had two hits and starting pitcher Andrew Ritter fanned six batters.
In the nightcap, Hibbing scored three runs in the fourth inning and two more in the sixth, erasing a 5-4 deficit to come back for the win.
The Cardinals only had six hits, but 13 walks and two hit batters filled the basepaths.
Reliever Kyle Self recorded six strikeouts in three and one-third innings of relief for Vermilion, and Cubillan hit a two-run home run. Brandon Rucka added two hits for the Ironhawks.
Vermilion’s fortunes changed Sunday as Boisvert’s three-run homer fueled a nine-run fourth inning and the Ironhawks cruised.
North Woods graduate and former Ely Legion star Louie Panichi added two hits and two runs batted in and freshman Bauer Houge went three-for-four at the plate.
Cubillan, who is hitting a blistering .406 for the year, was three-for-three with a two-run round-tripper.
Rucka and Dylan Ploen both scored twice and Charlie Rud drew three walks.
They backed the pitching of sophomore Frein, who allowed three hits in four innings to gain his fourth win of the spring. Sophomore Dylan Spears finished up.
Rucka had two hits, and Cole Smith added a big two-run single, but the Ironhawks fell in the nightcap with a two-out, two-run homer in the sixth serving as the backbreaker.
That spoiled a solid pitching outing by freshman Caiden Peters, who went six innings, fanned six and allowed only two earned runs.
