Proctor Stays Undefeated, Claims LSC Title With Win Over Hermantown

Wes Vork-NSO

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May 19

Wes Vork-NSO

A rare warm, sunny day in the Northland, combined with a baseball game between two neighboring teams who are playing great ball as of late created a huge drawing card for area baseball fans wanting to get outdoors. Thursday’s game between Proctor and Hermantown did not disappoint the 200 plus fans who turned out to watch the well played, entertaining game, with Proctor coming away with the 8-3 home victory.

With the win Proctor remains undefeated on the 2011 season at a perfect 12-0. The win also gave the Rails the Lake Superior Conference crown for the first time since 1992. Proctor has won the conference, which was started in 1975 a total of five times.

The Rails jumped out early when Justin Scanlon hit a two run homer to left center to put Proctor on the board first. A stand up double by Cody Dolsen scored another run putting the Rails up by a score of 3-0 after one inning.

The Hawks had their chances, loading the bases in the second inning with only one out, but could not get a run across. They nearly scored in the third inning, but a perfectly thrown ball from center field got the Hawks base runner tagged out at the plate while trying to score from second to end the inning.

The Rails scored three runs in the third inning on doubles by Ryan McCarthy and Pat Everson and a sacrifice fly by Nick Nylund to take a 6-0 lead.

In the top of the fourth, Hermantown started to work their way back into the game and once again loaded the bases, but this time Baker hit a solid two out single up the middle to score two runs. Then in the bottom of the fourth the Hawks grabbed yet more momentum when they turned a very unusual double play. Jared Thomas fielded a well hit ground ball to short, but knowing he had little chance to get the batter at first, he instead faked the throw to first which put Proctor’s lead runner between second and third in a run-down. That runner was tagged out and a quick throw to second nailed the batter, who was trying to advance on the play.

The Hawks kept things rolling in the top of the fifth and got one more run across when Kevin Folman tagged and scored from third on a well hit ball to center by Billy Grillo to cut the lead to 6-3. Proctor however added two insurance runs in the bottom of the inning off a Nylund double and held on for the 8-3 win.

In a game that could well be a preview of things to come in the Section 7Aa playoffs, junior Jake Lewis threw a complete game 12-hitter for the Rails to pick up the win. Kevin Folman was tagged with the loss but pitched a solid game into the fifth inning for Hermantown.

Although both teams pitched a good game, Proctor head Coach Kyle Wojtysiak liked what he saw out of the Rails offensively. Stating, “All the props have to go to the hitters today for us, because they came ready to play and were hitting the ball all over the place.”

The Rails who are still undefeated at 12-0 sure look like a team which will be a tough contender in the upcoming playoffs, and Wojtysiak agreed the Hawks are a team that could make a deep run themselves. “That’s a good team, there young and made a couple of mistakes early today but they battle and that’s huge for a young team to do sometimes.”

Both teams also have the quality pitching that is required to make a deep run in the playoffs. Teams really need three pitchers in the playoffs because the format has teams playing the first playoff game on a Wednesday, then on Thursday they play both the second play-in game and the first game of the final-four double elimination round.

This year’s Section 7AA should provide some entertaining playoff action with a bunch of teams playing good baseball at the right time of the year. Beside Proctor and Hermantown, International Falls beat the Hawks in a one run 4-3 game earlier in the year and defending section 7AA champs Cloquet, beat a tough Superior squad and lost to Proctor by a single run (7-6) in Proctor earlier in the season.

Wes Vork can be reached at wes@northlandsportsonline.com