Bevacqua was asked that if there is such a good thing as a good loss, and if perhaps this loss was a good lesson for his team to experience.

“We could learn those lessons winning, too,” Bevacqua said. “It sends the message that small things can make a difference in this game. If we get a base hit or not make some baserunning errors earlier in the game, that one run wins the ballgame for us.

“We pitch a little better or don’t make some errors in that one spot and we win the game by one run in regulation time.”

Bevacqua said a wild streak by his pitchers plus some fielding mistakes cost his team the game.

“We didn’t throw the ball very well after we took the lead and we didn’t play defense,” Bevacqua said. “They got a couple of soft hits in the sixth inning, and they got guys in scoring position. We hit the No. 8 batter and No. 9 hits a double play ball and we boot that.

“We make a pitching change and we walk in a guy with the leadoff hitter. So, yeah, we made mistakes and that contributed to them getting right back in the ballgame.”

Proctor head coach Tim Rohweder said he was proud of the way his team overcame the five-run deficit to beat a team as good as Nashwauk-Keewatin.

“I told the guys when they were down 6-1 to show me some character, show me what you have,” Rohweder said. “I am pretty proud of them to come back like that and get a W from a darn good baseball team.”

Proctor took a 1-0 advantage in the top of the first when Justin Filzen reached on an error and scored on a triple by pitcher Dan Carlson.

Proctor pitcher Carlson held the Spartans in check until they sent 10 batters to the plate in a six-run fourth inning. Nashwauk-Keewatin used six singles, a walk and a Rails error to plate the runs.

Kirby Yoder had a two-run single in the inning for the Spartans while Matt Borgman, Chris Bonderson and Ryan Cannata all added RBI singles.

“The positive side is we hit the ball pretty well throughout the whole game. We had 10 hits, but after the big inning that we had, our hard-hit balls were outs. They were no longer were falling in and that is the game of baseball,” Bevacqua said.

“Early in the game, we missed some signs and didn’t do some things offensively that we were supposed to do. They made some mistakes on baserunning that took away runs that we could have had. We probably could have put this game away early if we had done the things we were supposed to do.”

Meanwhile, Nashwauk-Keewatin pitcher Reid Velo seemed to be cruising entering the sixth inning. However, two hits, two walks, a hit batter and an error chased Velo. J.J. Wright relieved Velo and walked in the tying run before retiring the next hitter. The third out was recorded when Wright picked off Filzen at first base.

Proctor scored the winning runs in the ninth inning due to some shoddy fielding by the Spartans. The first two runners of the inning reached on errors. The first run scored on a single by Jon Podgornik and the second on a double steal.

Proctor hurler Carlson pitched a perfect ninth inning to record the win and complete game. In his nine innings of work, he allowed six runs on 11 hits, with the last coming with two outs in the fifth inning. He walked three and struck out 13.

“We were watching his location and he kept it down the whole game,” Rohweder said about Carlson’s performance. “He wasn’t missing high, and when he did they hit it hard. So, he learned from that. He his our ace in our staff and he did what we asked him to do, throw strikes.

“Not giving up free bases, that is our motto, I guess.”

Velo pitched 5 1/3 innings and was charged with six runs. He gave up five hits while walking five. He did not strike out a hitter. Wright, in his 3 2/2 innings, allowed two runs on two hits. He walked three and did not record a strikeout.

Jeff Clusiau had a pair of hits and a walk for the Spartans while Darrin Reisinger also had a pair of singles.

Carlson had a double and triple and drove in two runs for Proctor while Podgornik and [Paul Michellizzi] both had a pair of hits.

Proctor improves to 5-1 for the season while Nashwauk-Keewatin falls to 6-1.

(Hibbing Daily Tribune, April 25, 2006)

FYI: Baseball KO's N-K, I-F; loses OK to 2H

by The Sports Guy

Proctor baseball went 2-3 last week with wins on the road over Nashwauk-Keewatin on Mon., April 24, and at home against International Falls on Sat., April 29. In between, the Rails bowed to Two Harbors at home on Thurs., April 27.

Proctor began the week with an 8-6 victory over the N-K Spartans in nine innings. Back at Egerdahl, the Rails played well but fell to the Agates 4-3 in seven innings. Led by winning pitcher Jeff Adams' eight strikeouts on the evening, Two Harbors rose to a 4-1 record with Proctor dropping to 4-2. Drew Scherber batted in two runs and Paul Michelizzi had a double and a triple in the game.

Scherber duplicated his effort against I-Falls, smacking home two runs as Proctor claimed the win, 6-4. Scott Lustig had two hits for the Rails. Blake Reinke was the winning pitcher, allowing six hits while striking out five...

(Proctor Journal, May 4, 2006)