by Max Mercy

SUPERIOR -- Matt Morris connected for a booming hit over the left-fielder's head on a 3-2 count with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh for a walk-off win as Proctor defeated Esko, 6-5, in a non-conference game at Superior High School field to cap the invitational tournament that also featured the host school and Ashland in a round-robin format.

Morris's hit scored Matt Tracey, who led off the inning with a single. Following a walk to Brian Tracey and a flyout, Dylan Pionk's groundout to the right side advanced the runners to second and third. Jake Malec, who hit a two-run triple in the first inning, was intentionally walked to load the bases for Morris.

Proctor went up 3-0 in the bottom of the first inning, but Esko's starter Cole Litsey settled down and retired 11 batters in a row and the Eskomos chipped away with a run in the second on an RBI single by Matt Bolgrean. Esko tied the game in the fourth on a two-run single by Derek Peterson, and Esko took a 5-3 lead with two runs in the fifth.

Proctor's John Aase tied the score at 5-5 with a two-run single in the sixth. Aase (3-1 W-L, 1.11 ERA) was the winning pitcher. He worked all seven innings and allowed two earned runs on eight hits, one intentional walk, and one hit batsman with two strikeouts.

Litsey allowed five runs on five hits and two walks with seven strikeouts in six innings. Losing pitcher Ryan Bourgeault, who relieved Litsey to start the bottom of the seventh, allowed one run on two hits, one walk, and one intentional walk.

Proctor, now 5-2, is at Virginia on Monday.