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Serving Northern St. Louis County, Minnesota

Grizzlies notch first win, drop two at MI-B, Rock Ridge

David Colburn
Posted 5/3/23

EVELETH- Perhaps a young North Woods baseball team got a glimpse of their own future on Tuesday, as an older, more experienced and bigger Rock Ridge squad hammered the Grizzlies 17-0 in Eveleth.Louie …

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Grizzlies notch first win, drop two at MI-B, Rock Ridge

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EVELETH- Perhaps a young North Woods baseball team got a glimpse of their own future on Tuesday, as an older, more experienced and bigger Rock Ridge squad hammered the Grizzlies 17-0 in Eveleth.
Louie Panichi got the Grizzlies off on the right foot with a scorching lead-off triple to left field, but North Woods couldn’t capitalize, leaving him stranded at third.
The Wolverines carved up North Woods starter Ben Kruse in the bottom of the first with steely efficiency, pounding the Grizzlies hurler for five hits and nine runs in their first at-bat.
Held scoreless in the top of the second after a nice lead-off double by Alex Burckhardt, a pitching change brought the Grizzlies momentary respite as Panichi held the Wolverines without a run in the bottom of the inning.
However, Rock Ridge turned Panichi into a trivia question answer in the third: What pitcher gave up the first home run, a grand slam, in the Wolverines’ new synthetic turf stadium? Rock Ridge added one additional run to lead 14-0.
The Grizzlies squandered a golden opportunity with runners on second and third with no outs in the fourth when they couldn’t push a run across the plate. Rock Ridge pitching kept North Woods in check with only three scattered hits for the game.
The Wolverines scored three more runs in what turned out to be their last at bat of the game in the fourth, as the Grizzlies failed to score in the top of the fifth, ending the run-rule-shortened contest.
Fall to MIB
In an off-again, on-again contest that had the teams wondering if the game would be played, North Woods came out on the short end Monday at Mt. Iron-Buhl, 7-1.
Talen Jarshaw got the start for North Woods and gave up only one run over the first three innings as North Woods continued having trouble scoring runs. Jarshaw gave up three runs on a pair of singles in the fourth and was pulled for Ben Kruse, who chalked up a strike out to end the inning.
Kruse and Jarshaw figured in North Woods’ only score of the game in the fifth. The sharp-eyed Jarshaw reached on a walk and stole second with Kruse at the plate. Kruse powered a double to center field to bring Jarshaw home.
Panichi and Burckhardt each had two hits for the Grizzlies and also collected stolen bases. North Woods committed only two errors in the game.
Top Mesabi East
The Grizzlies came away winners in their second game on the turf at Mesabi East, coming from behind in the late innings to defeat the home Giants 4-2.
The pitching combo of starter Panichi and reliever Jarshaw leaned on some good defense behind them in keeping the Giants in check while giving up eight hits and one run each.
The Grizzlies were silent through the first five innings but came out roaring in the sixth to tie the game 2-2. Kruse reached first with a single, stole second, then advanced to third and scored on a pair of Giants errors. Levi Chauklin drew a walk, stole second, and crossed the plate after two wild pitches.
Jarshaw rang up two strike outs to close out a scoreless bottom of the sixth for Mesabi East.
Smith gave the Grizzles the lead in the top of the seventh by reaching on a walk and advancing to third on a Jarshaw double. Smith then stole home for the go-ahead run. Jarshaw duplicated that steal for the next scoring play, then shut down the side on a pair of grounders and a pop fly in the bottom of the seventh to clinch the win.
Kruse notched a pair of hits as the North Woods batsmen collected seven overall.