by Max Mercy

John Aase tossed a no-hitter against Eveleth-Gilbert on opening day for the second year in a row.

This time, it was Proctor's second game of the season as the Rails lost their season-opener to Hermantown; both games were played at Spartans Field at the NBC Sports Complex in Superior. In the nightcap, Proctor downed Eveleth-Gilbert, 11-1 in a non-conference game limited to five innings due to the 10-run rule.

Proctor was ahead 8-1 when Bryce Huffman, batting with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth, reached on a throwing error to end the game on a somewhat exciting play. With the runners off early on a 3-2 count, Huffman hit a ground ball to the shortstop. When the throw got past the first baseman, all three runners scored. Matt Sievert scored from first to end the game.

Aase (1-0 W-L, 0.00 ERA) had nine strikeouts and five walks. He struggled with control in the third and fifth innings, with 25 pitches thrown in the third and 24 in the fifth, but he also had a five-pitch fourth inning. He allowed an unearned run in the third on two walks and two errors.

Proctor jumped ahead early with a three-run first inning that featured back-to-back RBI triples by Matt Morris and Aase and an RBI single by Sievert.

A manufactured run in the second resulted in a 4-0 lead. Nathan Carlson led off with a single, stole second, advanced to third on Reid Morin's groundout to the right side, and scored on a passed ball.

Proctor tacked on three more runs in the third. Huffman singled with one out and advanced to third on a fielding error, and then scored on a wild pitch after Matt Tracey drew a walk. Tracey advanced to third on another wild pitch. With two outs, Morin walked and was replaced by courtesy runner Ricky Steel. Steel's steal attempt drew a balk which scored Tracey and sent Steel to second. Steel then scored on Derek Dahlgren's RBI single.

Aase hit into an RBI fielder's choice, a rare third-baseman-to-shortstop force out at third base, for the first run of the fifth.

Dahlgren, playing second base, made his varsity debut. He and Morris had two hits apiece. Aase contributed two RBI, and Morris, Aase, and Steel each scored two runs.

Losing pitcher Kyle Sickel allowed seven runs on seven hits and four walks in three innings, with no strikeouts. Reliever Tyler Kemp allowed one earned run on one hit and six walks in two innings.

Rails Notes

Aase tied Dan Norton (Class of 1981) for the school record of two no-hitters. Norton had no-hitters against Two Harbors in 1980 and Virginia in 1981. 

Jake Malec moved into a tie with Evan Scherber (Class of 2014) for fourth place on Proctor's all-time career games played list. Malec played in his 78th game. Ahead of him are Tyler Pionk (Class of 2011), 80; Ian Scherber (Class of 2012) 89; and Jimmy Merling (Class of 2013), 91.