Baseball: RRCC trying to look for positives in slide

The Voyageurs (2-18) lost two more games Wednesday to Vermilion at Littlefork-Big Falls High School, extending their losing streak to 14 games. RRCC is 0-6 in the conference.

“As a young team, we have seen improvement and more consistency every time we have taken the field this week,” head coach Josh Koenig said. “Sometimes the luck of baseball isn’t on your side. That is when it is time to go out and create our own luck. We have backed ourselves into a corner, but we still have the opportunity to extend our season into playoffs if we come out fighting.”

The Voyageurs lost 5-2 and 11-10 to Vermilion, which improves to 10-12 overall and to 2-3 in the Northern Division.

Jake Snyder opened the scoring for Vermilion with a 2-run homer in the first inning. The Voyageurs left the bases loaded in the bottom of the first and the Ironmen eventually led 5-0. Nick Cormier’s 2-run homer accounted for RRCC’s scoring.

Cormier finished 3-for-4, while J.C. Crane and Zaul Tapia each had two hits. Chad Sohlman took the loss, scattering 11 hits in a complete game. He struck out eight and walked one.

Game 2 Wednesday was a heartbreaker.

Mike Wilson hit his first career homer, a 2-run shot, and Cormier hit another 2-run blast to help give the Voyageurs a 5-2 lead heading into the top of the sixth inning. Vermilion scored two runs to cut the deficit to 5-4, and added seven runs in the top of the seventh to go up 11-5. RRCC’s rally fell just short as a fielder’s choice ended the contest. Runners were on first and third with two outs.

Marc Simard started for RRCC and gave up five runs (three earned) on only three hits. He struck out six and walked three. Erick Beaty took the loss in relief, lasting only 1/3 of an inning. He gave up three runs on one hit with two walks and a strikeout.

Wilson was 3-for-4 with a home run and two runs and Cormier, Cesar Espinoza and Crane all finished 2-for-4. Espinoza had two RBIs and Crane swiped two bases.

RRCC was coming off a tough string of games, losing twice to Bemidji State University’s junior varsity team before losing doubleheaders to Itasca and Mesabi Range to open the conference season.

Against BSU on April 13, the Beavers won 13-12 and 13-2.

The Voyageurs rallied down 13-9 in the first game behind a 2-run homer by Adrian Romo in the top of the seventh inning, but they scored only three runs in the frame. Crane finished 3-for-4 with a double and two runs, Romo was 2-for-3 with a double and two runs, Cormier finished 2-for-4 with his first career home run and Kendall Prescott and Alan Strom also finished 2-for-4.

Both teams recorded 14 hits and Evan Marsh took the loss in only two innings of work.

Kevin McNarland suffered the loss in the second game as the Voyageurs were held to only three hits, one each by Strom, Prescott and Wilson.

“As a new and young team, we have learned a lot about ourselves and the team during the first half of the season,” Koenig said. “As the second half now approaches, we will need to play with more focus and mental discipline and concentrate on our pitching while playing solid defense. We have shown that we can hit the ball, and if we buckle down and eliminate the big inning we can play with anyone.”

RRCC opened the second half 0-4 against Itasca and Mesabi Range.

Against Itasca on April 16, the Voyageurs fell 9-3 and 19-2.

Eric Erickson took the loss in Game 1 in a complete-game performance. He surrendered nine runs (six earned) on 13 hits with three strikeouts.

Cormier went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI and Strom, Espinoza and Romo all finished 2-for-4.

RRCC threw five pitchers in Game 2, but never figured out Itasca — or the strike zone — in the 19-2 loss. Voyageur pitchers combined to give up the 19 runs on 11 hits and 11 walks. Prescott started and took the loss. RRCC’s offense had only four hits, one each by four players.

Against Mesabi Range on April 17 in the home opener at Scheela Field, RRCC lost 12-4. They lost the second game 9-2.

In the home opener, the Voyageurs scored first in its first trip to the plate on home turf in the bottom of the first, but it could’ve been more. RRCC had the bases loaded with no outs but managed only one run. Mesabi Range answered with six runs in the top of the second.

Crane took the loss, giving up nine runs (seven earned) on 11 hits with five strikeouts. Zaul Tapia finished 3-for-4 and Marc Simard hit his first career home run, a 3-run shot in the bottom of the sixth.

In Game 2, the Norsemen blasted two home runs and recorded 13 hits in the 9-2 win. The closest RRCC came was 4-1 after three innings.

Chad Sohlman suffered the loss, striking out three in 4 1/3 innings. Seven Voyaguers each finished with a hit.

Game notes

• Littlefork-Big Falls grad and Mesabi Range pitcher Billy Boyd is out for the season with a labrum injury in his throwing shoulder. Boyd hurt the shoulder pitching against the Voyageurs in Rochester.

• RRCC’s softball doubleheader at home against Hibbing scheduled for today has been moved to Sunday. First pitch is at noon.