by Max Mercy

Proctor captured the Lake Superior Conference championship by defeating Duluth Denfeld, 11-6, at Wade Stadium on Tuesday, May 24. It was a fitting way to conclude the Rails' regular season in celebration of the 40th anniversary of Proctor's 1976 Region 7AA championship, which was won by defeating Denfeld at Wade in a classic 2-1 battle.

The Rails overcame a 4-0 deficit and trailed 5-3 before a six-run fifth inning put them ahead 9-5.

Denfeld starter Brody Russell held the Rails hitless through three innings before pinch-hitter Bryce Huffman's single with one out and one on base, John Aase, via a walk in the fourth. Aase then scored Proctor's first run when Blake Koski reached on an error, Huffman scored on Luke Nordquist's sacrifice fly, and Koski scored on an RBI single by Derek Dahlgren.

Denfeld took the lead with two runs each in the second and third innings. The Hunters scored a solo run in the fourth.

Jake Malec led off the fifth with a triple. Matt Morris walked and Aase hit a chopper over third base for a single to load the bases with no outs. Huffman walked, forcing in Malec and chasing Russell who was relieved by Jantzen Levy. Koski walked, plating Morris. Then Denfeld finally recorded an out on a flyout not deep enough to score Aase. But Nathan Carlson singled, sending in Aase. He was followed by another RBI single by Dahlgren, plating Huffman, and an RBI fielder's choice by Matt Tracey, scoring Koski. Malec capped the inning's scoring with an RBI double, scoring Dahlgren. Malec tallied five total bases in one inning.

Proctor scored two more runs in the sixth. Koski led off with a double and was followed by a walk to Nordquist. Both scored on RBI singles by Dahlgren and Tracey.

Meanwhile, Aase (5-1 W-L, 2.44 ERA) settled down with shutout innings in the fifth and sixth. He allowed five runs on nine hits and six walks with eight strikeouts. Nordquist pitched the final frame and allowed one run on two hits and one walk.

Dahlgren was 3-for-4 with a run and three RBI. Tracey was 1-for-4 with two RBI. Malec was 2-for-5 with a double, a triple, a run, and an RBI. Aase was 2-for-4 with a triple and two runs. Huffman was 1-for-3 with two runs and an RBI. Koski was 1-for-4 with a double, three runs, and an RBI, and Carlson was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Russell was the losing pitcher. He allowed seven runs on five hits and five walks with two strikeouts. Levy, Cody Brown, and Eric Gibson were used in relief.

Proctor won its sixth conference title. The previous years were 1977, 1980, 1981, 1992, and 2011. The Rails had a 22-game LSC win streak that started in 1979 and lasted into the 1982 season that produced back-to-back undefeated conference records in 1980 and '81.

Section 7AA Playoffs begin on Tuesday, May 31.