Hibbing VFW 9 sweeps Cloquet

HIBBING—The Hibbing VFW baseball team has had problems with leaving runners in scoring position all summer, and that didn’t change against Cloquet.

Post 1221 stranded 12 runners on base against Post 262, but that didn’t seem to hamper Hibbing’s ability to score runs.

Post 1221 was able to score just enough times en route to a 8-4 victory over Cloquet in game one of a doubleheader Monday at Al Nyberg Field.

In game two, it was a slugfest, but Hibbing was able to come away with an 11-7 victory to sweep the doubleheader.

Post 262 did take an early lead when Aiden Theissen singled, as did Mason Robbins, who sent Theissen to third.

Theissen scored on the back end of a double steal when the throw to the plate was late.

Hibbing did respond, however, as Brayden Rewertz walked and stole second. Easton Fisher walked as did Kaden Augustine to load the bases.

Aiden Davey singled home a run, then Blake Riccio walked to force home a run. Tait Swanson hit an RBI single to put Post 1221 up 3-1.

The only thing, Hibbing left the bases loaded.

“Unfortunately, that’s kind of been what’s happening lately,” Zubich said. “We’ve been stranding so many guys on base. We didn’t have the best approach at the plate. We were looking to pull a lot of balls, so we jumped at it and popped out.

“They had a few sun balls, but they made good plays. They caught the ball, which most baseball teams can catch a ball in the air. We need somebody to clutch up.”

Post 1221 added one run in the second as Riccio hit an RBI fielder’s choice ground ball, but again, Hibbing left two more runners on base, but getting that three-run lead was important.

“We worked out three-straight walks and scored a few,” Zubich said. “That was big, but the bats went silent. We had four hits going into the last inning. We put up a few late, but we weren’t hitting a lot hard.”

Cloquet would score twice in the fourth as Gavin Keset and August Wherley hit an RBI double and run-scoring single, respectively.

Hibbing made it 5-3 in the fourth as Davey hit an RBI groundout, but Post 1221 needed to get some breathing room between them and Post 262.

That was going to happen in the sixth when Davey led off with a triple.

After a groundout, Cloquet got Davey in a rundown and tagged him out for the second out of the inning.

“We have to watch out for that,” Zubich said.

But that didn’t deter Hibbing from extending the lead.

Tait Swanson walked and stole second. Blake Kolden hit an RBI single. Gavin Lamphere reached on an error, then Dylan Vesel hit a run-scoring single. Rewertz followed with an RBI single to make it 8-4.

Zubich did get that late in the game, however.

“In the sixth, we finally clutched up and scored some guys when we needed to with two outs,” Zubich said. “We’re always learning. Come playoff time, we can’t be making some of these mistakes. Hopefully, we learn from it, and we don’t see some of those baserunning things at the end.

Post 1221 co-coach Tim Zubich felt fortunate to get at least the game-one victory.

“We’ll take it,” Zubich said. “That’s a big points win for us. It’s a two-point game, so those are the big ones you have to get. If we can stay out of that sixth or seventh seed, we won’t be in the play-in game to get in.

“We’re definitely trying to avoid that.”

Kolden started for Post 1221, working four innings, allowing five hits, striking out four and walking three. Lamphere tossed three innings, giving up one hit. He struck out one and walked one.

In game two, Cloquet five first-inning runs led by an RBI double by Wherley, and run-scoring singles by Aiden Reuvers and Owen Huls. One run scored on an error.

Post 1221 responded with three runs in the first as Blake Riccio hit an RBI double, Hunter Gustavsson an RBI single. The other run scored on a wild pitch.

Hibbing added four runs in the second, with Kian Menara hitting an RBI single. One run scored on an error, and one on a wild pitch.

Post 262 scored once in the third on a wild pitch, but Hibbing came back with a four-run third inning to all but seal the game.

The big hit was a three-run double by Gustavsson. Kaden Augustine had an RBI single.

Cloquet got an RBI single from Huls in the third.

Riccio started the mound for Post 1221, working one inning. He gave up five hits, struck out one and walked two. Augustine tossed two innings, giving up two hits. He fanned three and walked one. Tait Swanson worked two innings. He gave up one hit and struck out two.