UA-137387785-1
Proctor Rails

Recap for the 04/20/1989 game @ Superior

Preview Recap
Proctor Rails 3, Superior 2

Proctor 3, Superior 2
Duluth  News Tribune, April 21, 1989

Rick Sornberger tossed a two-hitter as Proctor opened its season by edging host Superior Senior in a Lake Superior Conference game.
Scott Larson hit a two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning to erase a 2-0 Superior lead, then Brian Mrozik singled and eventually scored on an error for the winning run.
Brad Wermter took the loss for Superior, 2-1. He allowed five hits and struck out five.
 

Rails rally past Spartans
Superior Telegram, April 21, 1989

The veteran Superior Senior High baseball team had all but wrapped up its win in its debut in defense of its Lake Superior Conference championship on a cold and windy day Thursday at the Superior Babe Ruth Field.

That was until the Proctor, Minn., High Rails stunned the Spartans with three seventh-inning tallies and bagged a 3-2 victory.

After winning two contests for the title in the Old Abe Invitational last weekend at Eau Claire Memorial, Senior High was denied success in the home season opener -- mainly due to the two-hit pitching of Proctor senior righthander Rick Sornberger.

The Rails stole the show from the 2-1 Spartans when designated hitter Scott Larson hammered a tremendous two-run homer in the seventh inning to tie the game at 2-2 after Kerry Helquist had reached first base on an error by Jason Hurin, SSHS third baseman.

Brian Mrozik followed with a single and was sacrificed to second base. He took third base on Sornberger's wind-blown single. Mrozik scored when Spartan relief pitcher Sean Pitoscia's pitch was low and SSHS catcher Rick Rivord couldn't come up with the ball.

Superior took a 1-0 lead in the third inning. Timmer Pederson walked, stole second base, and came home on an error on a ball hit by Rivord.

An inning later, Joe Benson strolled, stole second base, went to third on an error on Chad Johnson's ground ball, and came home on a passed ball.

But that was all for the Superior nine, who received hits from Pederson and Benson.

"Sornberger had us front-foot hitting all afternoon. We were not smart hitters. We would get ahead of Sornberger count of 2-0, 2-1, and 3-1, and then the Proctor pitcher would throw junk at us. We obliged and just didn't hit the ball well," SSHS Coach Steve Olson said.

Sornberger had the Spartans off stride the entire game with curve balls, changeups, and a knuckleball.

Senior pitcher Brad Wermter, the Spartans starter, was in complete control until the seventh inning when he got a couple of fast balls up in the strike zone. Larson's two-run belt came on a fast ball.

"Wermter pitched a very good game. He has worked very hard this spring and many good things will come his way if he keeps a good mental attitude," Olson remarked.

The Rails posted five safeties, two by Sornberger.

The Spartans were back in conference action Friday afternoon against the Duluth East Greyhounds in Superior.

"We'll have to forget the Proctor game. The four-point conference loss hurt us. Maybe we will see and understand we must be ready to play every game no matter who we play and what kind of weather we must play in," Olson added.

Trev Kavajecz, 0-0, was scheduled to pitch for the Spartans against the Greyhounds.

Proctor 000 000 3 -- 3
Superior 001 100 0 -- 2

Proctor AB R H
Eric Kindgren, CF 400
Matt Koski, LF 300
Kerry Helquist, 3B 211
Scott Larson, DH 311
Chris Nylund, SS 000
Brian Mrozik, RF 311
Brian Peterson, C 200
Rick Sornberger, P 202
Andy Morin, 1B 200
Jay Boysen, 2B 300
Totals 24 3 5

Pitching
Rick Sornberger (W, 1-0), CG, 7.0 IP, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 H