Left: Travis Bradley pitched a one-hit shutout against Carlton to help lead the Vikings into the third game of the Section 7A playoffs. Above: Leo Johnson goes to work with his bat against Carlton. Leo was the winning pitcher in the earlier game against McGregor/Cromwell.
At press time, the Cook County Vikings baseball team had advanced into the second round of Section 7A playoffs winning their last two regular season game and their first two playoff games.
Regular season win over Wrenshall
On Thursday, May 21, the Vikings defeated Wrenshall by a score of 12-1 in six innings at Braun Field in Cloquet. Travis Bradley took the mound for a tune-up performance.
Bradley, who pitched the Vikings’ first game of the year, has had arm problems so he has played third base and rested and rehabilitated his arm. He pitched three innings and picked up the win. Bradley struck out 4, walked 1, and gave up 3 hits.
Andrew Lashinski pitched the final three innings, striking out five and walking 4. Lashinski gave up just one hit, but it was after he hit a batter and then gave up a double in the sixth inning. This accounted for Wrenshall’s single run.
Leading the Vikings at the plate were Jaret Baker and Jamie Wick, who were both 3 for 4. Richie Furlong was 2-3 and Owen Anderson was 2-4. Baker and Wick each stole one base. Furlong and Anderson each stole two. Anderson, Wick, Furlong, and Jack Wieben each scored twice. Frankie Miller, Rory Bakke, Leo Johnson, and Baker each scored once.
Winning again over Mesabi East
The next day Cook County traveled to Two Harbors to play Mesabi East in a make-up game. Mesabi East is seeded Number 1 in the north half of our section, while Cook County is seeded second in the south.
Miller took the hill for the Vikings. The Giants scored first in the bottom of the first. Their number three hitter reached base on an error and third on a base hit. The Giants executed a double steal and scored their first run.
Had the throw been on target from Furlong, the runner trying to steal second would have been out and the inning would have been over. It was well played by the Vikings, but not quite executed perfectly.
A meeting of the minds: The infield came to the mound to discuss strategy in a recent home game. (L-R) Rory Bakke, Travis Bradley (7), Leo Johnson (center), Frankie Miller (4) and Jamie Wick.
The Vikings answered in a big way. A pitch hit Wieben with one out. Johnson singled, Bakke and Lashinski each followed with a double, and Baker drove in the fourth run with a single.
The Vikings made a couple of errors in the second, and it resulted in a run for Mesabi East. The Giants added another in the fifth with a double and single and that was it for both teams.
Miller struck out five and walked one, giving up seven hits.
The Vikings had 10 hits, struck out 6 times and walked 4 times. The Vikings committed five errors; the Giants only one.
Anderson was 3 for 4 with a triple. Furlong was 2-4 with a stolen base. Lashinski was 2 for 3, scoring once himself and driving in two. The Vikings won 4-3.
Playoff victory over the Mercs
The Vikings advanced into the second round of Section 7A playoffs with victories over McGregor/Cromwell and Carlton in games played Tuesday, May 26 in Hermantown.
Head Coach Arleigh Jorgenson said Cole Hoover of McGregor pitched a great game against the Vikings. He gave up six hits, striking out 8 and walking 2. “He shut us down in the first three innings one-two-three,” said Jorgenson.
Johnson countered for the Vikings, scattering 10 hits, striking out 4 and walking 2.
The Vikings committed one error late in the game. The Mercuries committed four, and those errors cost them every time, said Jorgenson.
McGregor scored two runs in the second inning and Jorgenson recounted the action. “With one out, Johnson walked the number six hitter and then gave up three singles in a row, which plated two runs. The second time through our order, however, the tide turned. Anderson led off with a walk, Furlong followed with a bunt single and Miller singled driving in Anderson. Jammer Wick struck out, but Bradley followed with another single driving in two more. Wieben bunted for a single. Johnson reached when the catcher dropped the third strike and failed to get him at first. Bradley scored on the play.”
The Vikings were now loose, said Jorgenson, and they scored two more runs in the fifth with two outs.
“Miller doubled and then stole third. Wick walked and stole second. Miller came home on a wild pitch and Wick moved to third. Bradley reached on an error by the third baseman, which scored Wick,” said Jorgenson.
McGregor loaded the bases in the sixth and scored on four consecutive singles. Miller came in to get the next two outs and finished the game in the seventh for the save.
Cook County responded with their seventh run in the sixth on a single by Johnson, a sacrifice bunt by Bakke, and an infield fly that got into the sun and was missed by the second baseman. Johnson moved to third on the play and then scored on a wild pitch.
Hoover was at 118 pitches and was tiring. The Vikings won 7-3.
Vikings 10-run Carlton
Next up at 7 p.m. was Carlton, the winner of the 4:30 Carlton- Hill City game.
Bradley took the mound for the Vikings and hurled a gem, shutting out Carlton. He gave up just one hit, striking out eight and walking one.
“Good pitching creates confidence on offense,” said Jorgenson.
“With one out in the second, Wieben scorched one down the third base line for a double. Lashinski drove him in. We were rolling,” Jorgenson said.
In the fourth, the Vikings exploded for seven runs. Travis, said Jorgenson, was smiling in the dugout!
The parade of runs began this way, said Jorgenson, “Wick led off with a single up the middle. Furlong followed with a push bunt that moved Wick all the way over to third. Then, leaving early, Furlong drew the Bulldogs into a run-down between first and second, while Wick stole home. Furlong got out of the rundown and back into first. Wieben followed with a bunt single. Furlong was moving on the pitch and continued into third. With runners on first and third, Wieben stole second. Bakke drove in Furlong with a single. Lashinski drove in Wieben with a single, Owen walked to load the bases and Miller drove in Bakke and Lashinski with a single into right. Bradley moved both runners with a sacrifice and Wick drove them in with a single to right.”
The Vikings scored one run in the fifth. Lashinski reached first on a dropped third strike and stole second. Johnson, pinch-hitting for Baker, went to a 1-2 count before driving the two strike pitch into center to score Lashinski, for the ninth run. Johnson was running on the next pitch, trying to get into scoring position to plate the 10th run, but Anderson, getting a pitch he liked, failed to drive it, and grounded out to the pitcher.
Meanwhile, said Jorgenson, “Bradley cruised through the top of the sixth with fly balls to center, second, and left.
“Miller led off the sixth with a single, but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. Bradley, however, doubled into the right center gap. Brian “Bubba” Finke, with his speed, came on as a courtesy runner for the pitcher. Wick moved him to third on a ground ball to shortstop. The game ended on a wild pitch that scored Finke,” said Jorgenson.
“Everyone contributed,” said the coach. “It was a good ride home.”
Next up are the Deer River Warriors, who defeated Mesabi East in the northern half of the section. The Vikings faced them on Thursday, May 28 at Hibbing. If they beat Deer River, they will advance to play the winner of the South Ridge-Cherry game at Wade next Tuesday.
If the Vikings lose, they will move into the loser’s bracket and play the late game in Hibbing.
Jorgenson explained, “We would need to play multiple games without a loss to get back into the Championship games, in which case we would have to defeat the undefeated team twice. Every game is big right now, but we are having fun. There is pressure, but these boys can play. No matter what happens, this has been a great season.”
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