Devils, Miners advance in districts

By JASON JUNO

[email protected]

Ironwood and Gogebic both won opening-round MHSAA Division 4 District 97 games at home Tuesday.

The Miners may have put themselves in better position to challenge for a district title on Friday, though.

Ironwood ace Brendan McCullough pitched a gem, striking out 15 Lake Linden-Hubbell batters in a 6-1 victory at Lorenson Field. He only allowed one hit and two walks.

But it was still a 2-1 game when he neared 74 pitches, the most he could throw and still pitch Friday as the district tournament continues. So he stayed in the game and is unavailable to pitch Friday.

Ironwood starts with two-time defending champion Jeffers at 10 a.m. CDT, while Gogebic gets Ontonagon at 12:30 p.m.

The winners meet in the final at 3.

Gogebic ace Cjay Wainio also had a big game Tuesday with 11 strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings of the Miners’ 5-1 win over L’Anse. He came out at 73 pitches and can pitch a full game Friday.

The Devils took a 2-0 lead with runs in the first and third innings. LL-H got one back in the fifth, but Ironwood scored four big runs in the fifth to put the game away.

Parker Osterman, Robert Roberts and Elijah Sprague (double) all had big hits in the inning.

Eli Ruotsala made a great diving catch in centerfield for Ironwood in the sixth inning to save an extra base hit and a run.

“Eli’s like a birddog, he’s going to go after the ball, he’s going to make his errors,” Ironwood coach Cody Kurta said. “That might have been the best read I’ve seen one of our outfielders make this year, he was running before the ball was even hit. He was even with the ground.”

McCullough, only a sophomore, made it a tough day for the Lakes’ offense.

“I just kept finding the zone,” he said.

The only run scored because of a walk and then the only miscues of the day defensively.

“Brendan McCullough was dominant,” Kurta said. “He’s only got two pitches, his fastball and his curve, but they were both on. And when he’s on, he’s tough, he’s very, very difficult to hit. I think in his last start he has 30 Ks. He’s been a dominant guy.”

He improved to 7-1 on the year. The only loss came when four of the five runs allowed were unearned.

“He’s been our go-to guy on the mound all year,” Kurta said.

He didn’t save McCullough for Friday because “there’s no tomorrow.”

“If you don’t win the first one, you don’t play the second one,” he said.

The good news for the Devils is they have a nice staff, Kurta said. Ethan Gallo will pitch Friday and Robert Roberts and Landon Buerger are also available.

“All three of them are very capable,” Kurta said. “Roberts has already seen Jeffers twice, first game he got hit around a little bit and second game he locked in.”

He looks forward to the matchup with Jeffers.

“They’re a dominant team, but everyone’s got their day and I’m hoping Friday’s ours,” Kurta said.

He expects to see Levi Frahm pitch. He’s one of two solid arms on their staff along with Cody Turner.

The Jets aren’t a great hitting team, but they play good defense and pitch well. They also play good small ball and run the bases well, Kurta said.

“They’re a complete team,” he said. “Then you have to deal with Frahm at the plate, too, and that kid can hit.”

For the Miners, Wainio also got two runs in with a nice bunt down the first-base line.

Daryk McWilliams got the save for Gogebic.