Proctor, Denfeld stack shutouts
Duluth News Tribune, June 2, 1976
by IRV MOSSBERGER Of the News Tribune Staff
It will be an all Duluth cast in the Region 7AA baseball championship game today owing to a pair of superb pitching performances in Tuesday's semifinals at Wade Stadium.
Russ Hellgren of Denfeld and Dale Nikko of Proctor each threw shutouts to lead their respective teams to victory by identical 2-0 scores. Hellgren hand-cuffed Cambridge on four hits for the Hunters' decision while Nikko fashioned a dramatic two-hitter to lead the underdog Proctor Rails past Grand Rapids.
Today's title game will be played at Wade starting at 7 p.m.
Proctor's win over Rapids was an upset if you go by the team records, the Rails entering the semifinal contest at 7-10 while [Rapids] had the best record of the field with a 15-3 mark. But that doesn't take into account the gutty performances turned in by Nikko and his teammates.
Nikko yielded a first inning single to Lee Theis and another single in the fourth to shortstop Al Cleveland, but he used his burning fastball the rest of the time to keep the...bats muffled. He struck out four and walked three.
Jon Nelson, the Rails' designated hitter and leadoff man, scored what proved to be the winning run in the first inning by coming home on third baseman Jay Nelson's sacrifice fly to center. Jon Nelson reached first on an error by Cleveland on a ground ball and advanced to second on Jeff Merling's base hit to center. They both advanced on Mike Hudspith's bunt to set up Jay Nelson's first RBI.
Jay Nelson flew out to center again in the fourth for the Rails' other run, sending in Merling, who had doubled off losing pitcher Tom LeMahieu. After Merling's double, LeMahieu got Hudspith to fly to right, but the [Rapids] rightfielder dropped the ball and LeMahieu left in favor of Rapids' ace Jim Jetland. Nelson hit Jetland's first pitch for the second run.
Nikko, who ont he mound appeared to be as cool as windswept Wade Stadium, said he was "tense the whole game. I was way up when it started and I never came down. But we weren't disappointed that they didn't start Jetland against us."
Proctor coach Dave Anderson noted that Nikko has now thrown "20 innings of shutout ball, and we'll go with him against Denfeld. He can throw forever."
Hellgren credited "a pretty good team defense," in helping to preserve his shutout, including the play of shortstop Jim Watts. "Jim made some great plays out there that really helped out," said Hellgren.
Watts' heroics included a barehanded grab of a slow roller in the first to retire the side. Cambridge had men on first and third at the time and appeared almost certain to score a run on the play. Cambridge had two men on in the fifth when Watts went deep into the hole to rob catcher Rich Polsin of a base hit and retire him at first with a long throw.
Third baseman Jim Mortinsen scored the deciding run in the third. He got on with a walk, then reached third when Polzin threw into centerfield on his stolen base attempt. Hunters' catcher Jim Jago then drilled a line shot to left to allow Mortinsen to breeze in.
Second baseman Mike Castonguay singled to left to drive in Watts for Denfeld's second run in the fifth. Watts had singled to right and made it to third on an error on Mortinsen's sharp grounder to third and a fly to center by Jago.
"I've never seen guys play under pressure like this team has," said Hunters' coach John Bergstrom, who has a squad in the regionals for the first time in his nine years at the helm. "And Watts had a fantastic day. He'll be our pitcher in the finals."
Proctor upsets Rapids in region 7AA tourney
Grand Rapids Herald-Review, June 3, 1976
Under-rated Proctor stifled a favored Grand Rapids baseball team in frigid Wade Stadium Tuesday evening for a 2-0 decision and the right to advance to the finals in the region 7AA tournament.
Virtually helpless at the plate, [Grand Rapids was] limited to two hits by little Dale Nikko who also had solid backing from his defense. Not even the frenzied blasts of the All-Star Kazoo band could swing the tide in favor of the Rapids. Fans huddled in the stands, chilled by the lake winds, and marvelled at the big plays from Proctor.
Third baseman Jay Nelson came up with the key play to stifle [Grand Rapids] enthusiasm in the top of the fifth after pitcher Jim Jetland had worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam without allowing a run. Coach Bob Streetar's club was fired up, ready for the charge. Jetland slammed a line drive over third, but Nelson went high in the air, knocked the ball to the ground, picked it up and threw Jetland out at first base. That hurt.
Two great catches in the outfield eased the way for Proctor in the first inning, too, and every time [a Grand Rapids batter] hit the ball solidly, someone was in the way.
Proctor scored the only run it needed in the bottom of the first when Jon Nelson reached first on an error at shortstop, advanced to second on Jeff Merling's single and went to third on [Mark Hudspith]'s sacrifice bunt. Nelson came home on a sacrifice fly to deep center for the 1-0 lead.
Pitcher Tom LeMahieu breezed through a one-two-three inning in the second but Proctor added another run in the third. LeMahieu retired the first batter, but Merling doubled to right center. Hudspith popped to right field but was safe at first when the ball was bobbled. With runners on first and third and one out, Coach Streetar put Jetland on the mound and John Cragun at first base. Nelson flied to Goodrie, but Merling scored easily after the catch for the 2-0 lead. That was the clincher.
Grand Rapids had its share of the heroics, too. Everything imaginable went wrong in the last of the Proctor fourth when the Rails appeared ready to blow the game wide open. Joe Gaboury slashed a single over second base. Mike Grover's bunt attempt popped high but went over the charging Jetland and Roy Woodbury, the third baseman, falling for a base hit. Pitcher Nikko placed a bunt along the third baseline which Jetland fielded in time for the play at third. But he fell, couldn't throw and [the] bases were loaded with no outs.
Jetland simply struck out John Baublitz and Nelson while they shook their heads, then got Merling on a pop to Cleveland at shortstop to retire the side without a run.
Grand Rapids came closest to scoring in the second when Cleveland reached first on an error at second base, stole second and went to third on a throwing error. But with no outs, Nikko fanned Woodbury and Maasch and got Roger Bishop on a liner to center. [Grand Rapids] had men on first and second in the sixth with two out but couldn't score.
It wasn't a Grand Rapids day.
Pitching
Dale Nikko W (6-4), 7.0 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 3 BB, 4 SO