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Proctor Rails

Recap for the 05/29/2001 game @ Grand Rapids (Playoffs)

Preview Recap
Grand Rapids 12, Proctor Rails 0

Matt Erzar faced just one batter over the minimum as the top-seeded Thunderhawks won the first-round, five-inning North Subsection game at home.

Erzar retired the first 12 batters before yielding three hits in the fifth, but one of the runners was thrown out at the plate [sic] and one was picked off at first. Erzar allowed no walks and struck out five.

Derek Salisbury had two hits and three RBIs and Brent Magnuson went 3-for-3 and scored three times.

The Thunderhawks (14-7) scored three runs in the first, four in the third, and five in the fourth. They were helped by eight Proctor errors.

Grand Rapids plays host to No. 5 seed Cloquet at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

(Duluth News Tribune, May 30, 2001)

Rails baseball season hits the wall in play-offs

Proctor baseball fans had hoped that maybe the start of the playoffs was going to signal a new start for the team, who had struggled throughout a season that was littered with far too many one-run losses. Unfortunately, those hopes for a more successful playoff season were dashed almost before they started last week in Grand Rapids.

Proctor headed into the post-season in the unenviable position of having the last seed in the northern half of Section 7AAA, which meant no matter how many wins they could amass there was little chance the Rails would be hosting any games during the playoffs. But before any sort of home field advantage, the Rails first needed to get past the number one seeded Grand Rapids Thunderhawks.

Proctor headed into that game knowing that their first game of the season was against Grand Rapids. In that outing, the Rails played a solid game before falling by just a couple runs. They entered play knowing if they could play a solid game on both offense and defense they could well see the upset of the season. Things did not exactly turn out the way players, coaches, and fans had hoped. The Rails had one of the worst games of the season defensively, while Thunderhawk pitching all but muted the Rails' bats. In fact, Grand Rapids had a no-hitter into the fifth inning of this run-shortened game.

Proctor fell 12-0 to end the post-season almost before it got underway.

The first Proctor runner to reach base came in the top of the fifth inning. Ryan Delucca smacked a hard grounder right up the middle for a single. His attempt to steal second was not successful.

A fly out to center field put the Rails' backs to the wall when Kyle Lindstrom slapped a solid single to left field. The next batter, Ryan Vanderscheuren, hit to shallow center field for a base hit. That put runners at first and second when pitcher Jake Vanderscheuren came up to bat. He was unable to complete his final turn at bat as Ryan Vanderscheuren was picked-off by the Grand Rapids pitcher. That play ended the game and the season for Proctor, just as it ended the high school sports careers of seniors Scott Wojtysiak, Kyle Lindstrom, [Robin Rapsys], Andy Anderson, and Jake Vanderscheuren.

(Proctor Journal, June 7, 2001)

 

T'Hawk baseball team rolls over Proctor
Grand Rapids Herald-Review
May 30, 2001

The Grand Rapids High School baseball team, the No. 1 seed in the Section 7AAA North Subsection Tournament, opened up its postseason play in impressive fashion by decimating the Proctor Rails by a 12-0 score at Legion Field in Grand Rapids.

Senior righthander Matt Erzar hurled the shutout on the mound for the Thunderhawks as he was in complete control in the five-inning game. He allowed three hits, did not walk a batter and struck out five. Erzar had a perfet game entering the fifth inning with the 12-0 lead before pinch hitter Ryan Delucca singled. Thunderhawk catcher Andy Paul nailed Delucca when he attempted to steal second base. Ryan Anderson [sic] and Ryan Vanderscheuren added singles later in the inning but Erzar picked Vanderscheuren off first base to end the game and preserve his shutout.

Meanwhile, Proctor pitcher Jake Vanderscheuren a senior righthander, was victimized by shoddy fielding by his teammates. He allowed eight hits, walked four and struck out two. His teammates committed five errors behind him which went a long way in the loss.

Grand Rapids scored three runs in the first inning thanks to three Proctor errors. The Thunderhawks added four runs in the third inning and five more in the fourth inning to take the win by the 10-run rule.

Shortstop Dereck Salisbury had two hits in the game and drove in three runs. He had a sacrifice fly in the third inning and a two-run single in the fourth inning.

First baseman Kevin Ott had a double and scored two runs for the Thunderhawks while center fielder Brent Magnuson rapped out three singles and scored three runs. Third baseman Brian Wickstrom scored two runs and drove in another while right fielder Lenny Wilson had a hit, scored a run and drove in one.

Proctor finishes its season with a 1-16 [sic] record. ...