The Duluth Dukes adult amateur baseball team lost in the first round of the Wisconsin Baseball Association's 66th annual playoffs, 7-3, to the Menomonie Eagles at Haugen, Wis., on Aug. 9. They qualified for the playoffs for the third year in a row by finishing in second place in the Upper 13 League with a record of seven wins and three losses. The Dukes featured eight Proctor graduates: Anthony Bush, Cody Dolsen, Matt Dolsen, Jake Lewis, Jimmy Merling, Jack Nikko, Tim Nylund, and Evan Scherber.

 

 

Bush is the dean of the Rails contingent and the Dukes playing manager. He is a 1994 PHS graduate who went on to play for Bemidji State and UW-Superior, and he has been an assistant coach at PHS since 2004. Bush added to his several Dukes career pitching records in 2014, such as innings pitched (447.2), and strikeouts (287).

 

 

Cody Dolsen graduated from Proctor in 2012. He batted .312 as a catcher for the Dukes. He had a three-hit game against Port Wing at Wade Stadium on July 18.

 

 

Matt Dolsen, a 2013 PHS grad, earned the Dukes Relief Man award for his pitching as he posted a 1.98 ERA. Dolsen played for Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College in Cloquet this spring, and he also played for Proctor's American Legion team this summer.

 

 

Lewis is from the PHS Class of 2012. He tied for the Dukes lead in wins (3) and led the team in innings pitched (46.2) and strikeouts (46). He is the club's record-holder for lowest career ERA, at 3.55. He completed his sophomore season as a pitcher for UW-Superior this spring.

 

 

Merling, a 2013 PHS graduate, set Dukes single-season club records in nearly every offensive category as he earned the club's MVP, Silver Slugger, and Rookie of the Year awards as a second baseman and outfielder. He batted .423 with 33 hits, 10 doubles, three home runs, and 16 RBI in 21 games. He is planning on playing at UW-Superior next season. As for his first season in a Dukes uniform, Merling said, "It's a great opportunity to continue playing with friends that I grew up playing with and getting to play with other PHS graduates."

 

 

Nikko, also from the Class of 2013, joined the Dukes after playing for Vermilion Community College in Ely this spring. He tied Lewis for the Dukes lead with three pitching wins. He had the second most innings pitched, with 34.2, and he also played outfield.

 

 

Nylund is a 2009 PHS grad and he went on to play at Hibbing Community College. He is one of only four players who has played with the club every season since it started as the Proctor Padres in 2007, when he was 16 years old. He is a catcher and outfielder and as the lead-off batter he fittingly led the team in on-base percentage, at .478. Perennially one of the team's top offensive and defensive players, Nylund batted .294 this year.

 

 

Scherber was a late addition to the club as he was also playing for Proctor's American Legion club. As a 2014 PHS grad, he was also the youngest former Rails player on the squad. Scherber played second base and batted .263. He is planning on playing for Mesabi Range Community and Technical College in Virginia. "Playing with my past teammates (on the Dukes) has been a pleasure. It is always a good time with those guys and I can't wait for next year," he said.

 

 

For more information on the Dukes, visit duluthdukes.atomicleagues.com and facebook.com/duluthdukes.