by Max Mercy

PROCTOR -- Duluth Denfeld defeated Proctor, 12-2 in five innings, in a Lake Superior Conference baseball game at Proctor on Tuesday, May 19. The Hunters had 13 hits and took advantage of Proctor's four errors and six free passes in a game shortened by the 10-run rule.

Winning pitcher Ryan Potswald allowed two runs on two hits and six walks in three and two thirds innings. He had five strikeouts. Nick Thompson relieved Potswald in the fourth and had one walk and two strikeouts in one and one third innings.

Jake DeCaro, Thompson, Brody Russell, Adam Shykes, Potswald, and Justin Rouse had two hits apiece for Denfeld. Shykes and Potswald had two RBIs each, and DeCaro and Thompson each scored three runs while Russell and Rouse had two runs apiece.

Proctor had just two runs and two hits despite drawing seven walks from Hunters pitching. Dylan Pionk had a two-run single in the fourth. Jake Malec, who singled in the third, got the Rails' only other hit.

Losing pitcher Brandt Forstrom (0-1 W-L, 4.45 ERA) allowed six runs (two earned) on four hits and five walks in two innings. He had one strikeout. Reliever Matt Morris had five strikeouts in three innings, but he surrendered nine hits and one walk that resulted in six runs--two of which were earned.

Proctor, now 9-8, hosts Aitkin on Thursday in the Rails' final game of the regular season. Section 7AA Playoffs begin next Tuesday.