Hibbing 7, Proctor 4
Duluth News Tribune, May 5, 1984
Hibbing scored four runs in the third inning, highlighted by Joe Sacco's two-run double, and went on to defeat Proctor in a non-conference game in Hibbing. Tim Carruth went the distance, giving up 10 hits, to raise the Bluejackets' record to 6-1.
Bluejacket baseball club rallies vs. Rails
Hibbing Sunday Tribune, May 6, 1984
By DAN ANDERSON
The Hibbing Bluejacket baseball team fought back from a 3-0 deficit to defeat Proctor, 7-4, Friday afternoon at Bennett Park.
Proctor out-hit the Jackets, 9-7, with five doubles and four singles, but winning pitcher Tim Carruth was able to get the outs when he needed them, striking out five and walking two.
Hibbing grabbed the lead for good with four runs on four hits and one walk in the third inning.
Sophomore catcher Joe Sacco singled, doubled, scored once, and drove in two runs to lead the Hibbing offense.
Bluejacket senior right fielder Dave Persson added two singles and one run, and junior second baseman John Hyduke had a single and one RBI.
Both teams made three fielding errors.
Hibbing took a 6-1 record into Saturday's home game with Duluth Denfeld, and will be in Bennett Park again Monday against Superior, at 4:30 p.m.
Proctor dropped to 2-4.
"That wasn't a bad ball club," said Hibbing Coach Tim Scott about the Rails.
Proctor plated two runs on three hits and a walk in the first inning, and made it 3-0 in the top of the second on one hit and one error.
"We knew we have the ability to come back, and that's the kind of confidence one year's varsity experience has made in these kids," said Scott about his team. "They executed the bunt well, and got some key RBI hits.
"Tim Carruth pitched a gutty game, and Joe Sacco did a super job coming off the bench," added Scott.
Right fielder Tim Bjellos also deserves kudos for a fine catch with two on and two out in the sixth. Bjellos turned and chased down Randy Fietek's tailing drive to right field for the third out, with Rails runners on first and third.
Rails pitcher Lee Stephenson walked eight and struck out four. Proctor left nine runners on base, and Hibbing stranded 11.
Proctor's Todd Johnson hit the hole between first and second to plate Stephenson, who had singled, and Kevin Starren beat out an infield hit to score Chris Frank, who had walked, for a 2-0 lead in the first.
Hibbing left the sacks jammed in the first, after Hyduke lined a single to center and Proctor pitcher Stephenson walked two.
An error, a fielder's choice, and a single by Stephenson allowed Proctor to take a 3-0 lead in the top of the second.
Hibbing made it 3-1 in the bottom of the second inning when Tim Marion walked, stole second, took third on an error, and scored on a double by Sacco that hit the fence in right field on the fly.
Johnson doubled but was left on base for Proctor in the third.
Hibbing started its third with the meat of the order up, and promptly loaded the bases as Persson hit a line drive single, Shawn Gaustad walked, and Carruth reached on a fielder's choice bunt.
Persson scored on a wild pitch, Gaustad came home on Marion's sacrifice bunt, and Carruth crossed the plate on lefty Sacco's second straight hit, a single to right.
First baseman Tim Podominick, who got aboard on a bunt single, scored Hibbing's fourth run of the third inning when Hyduke punched a soft liner to center field that dropped in for a hit. That gave Hibbing a 5-3 lead.
Carruth got three outs on ground balls in the fourth, walking one, and the Jackets added one run for a 6-3 lead in the bottom of the frame. Gaustad took first on an error, stole second, gained third on another error, and scored on Carruth's fly ball to center.
Proctor got its last run in the top of the fifth when Fietek and Chris Frank opened the inning with back-to-back doubles, but then Carruth shut it off with three straight strikeouts.
Sacco and Bjellos walked, Persson lined a single to right, and Gaustad flied to center field to score Sacco with Hibbing's final run in the last of the fifth, making it 7-4.
Pinch-hitter Marty Running doubled and Stephenson reached on a two-out error for Proctor in the sixth, but then Bjellos hauled down Fietek's drive to right as it threatened to curve behind his back, to get the Jackets out of the inning.
Pat Gazich walked and stole second to open Hibbing's sixth, but the Jackets were retired 1-2-3 after that.
With one out in the top of the seventh, Johnson drove a double over Bjellos' head for the Rails. But Carruth got the next two, with a grounder to Gaustad at short and a fly to Bjellos in the outfield.
PROCTOR AB R H BI
Mark Slattengren, SS 3000
Marty Running, PH 1010
Lee Stephenson, P 4121
Randy Fietek, CF 3110
Chris Frank, 2B 3111
Todd Johnson, 3B 4021
Kevin Starren, RF 4011
Steve Makitalo, 1B 4000
Mark Kieren, C 3000
Jeff Erikson, LF 2100
TOTALS 31 4 9 4
Pitching
Lee Stephenson (L, CG) 6.0 IP, 7 R, 7 H, 8 BB, 4 SO