Devils take two at Butternut

BUTTERNUT, Wis. — The Ironwood baseball team got out the brooms and swept Butternut in both games of a doubleheader in Indianhead Conference play on Tuesday night. The Red Devils have started off the year at 3-0.

Game 1 - Ironwood 8, Butternut 7

Butternut led 7-5 after four innings, but Ironwood scored three times in final inning to edge the Midgets 8-7 in game one of the doubleheader Tuesday night.

Ironwood sophomore Brett Ossanna started and gave up two walks, a double and a home run to Gary Niesbauer in the first inning as Butternut jumped out to a 3-0 lead.

Ironwood answered back with two runs as Travis Mylly was safe on an error, Jonathan Clemens and Matt Dary walked and Devon DeRosso punched a single to narrow the Midget advantage to 3-2.

The Red Devils scored two more times in the second as Desmond Sackmann and Mylly walked and DeRosso slammed a double.

In the fifth inning, Jared Sobolewski lashed a single, Brian Heckathorn walked, Mylly singled and Dary hammered a double to score three runs and pull out the win.

Dary came in as a relief pitcher and picked up the win.

Lead-off hitter Mylly was 2-2 and scored three times. DeRossso was 2-3 in the game.

Ironwood 2 2 0 1 3 — 8

Butternut 3 0 2 2 0 — 7

Game 2 — Ironwood 11, Butternut 3

Ironwood scored early and often on Tuesday night as the Red Devils routed Butternut 11-3 in the second game of the doubleheader.

Leading 4-2 after two innings, Ironwood broke the game open with seven runs crossing the plate in the bottom of the third inning. Dary walked and DeRosso and Ossanna ripped base hits. Matt Snarski was hit by a pitch and Sobolewski followed with another single. Sackmann and Clemens also walked. All seven players scored.

“We are a real young team,” Ironwood manager Dan Niemi said. “We were very patient, especially in the second game. We just have to keep learning. With the way the weather has been, these games are like warm-ups for the district tournaments. We don’t have much time left.

“Dary started the second game and got us a comfortable lead,” Niemi said. “He wound up winning both games. And Sackmann in the last inning did a nice job.”

Sobolewski led Ironwood’s hitting attack going 2-2, while DeRosso had a hot bat again as he went 2-3.

Ironwood will play another doubleheader Thursday at Mellen starting at 4 p.m., and on Saturday, Bayfield and Washburn. All games will count in the Indianhead Conference standings.

Butternut 0 1 1 0 1 — 3

Ironwood 2 2 7 0 x — 11