by Max Mercy

HERMANTOWN -- For the second game in a row, the Rails wrested their victory on a game-ending, bases-loaded play with the lead at stake. Last Thursday, the tying run was at the plate in the 5-1 win over Mora that ended on a full-count strikeout. Today, with the go-ahead run at bat, the game ended on a towering fly ball caught by center fielder Nathan Carlson with his back against the fence.

Proctor took a 10-5 lead into the top of the seventh, and hung on to win, 10-7, after allowing two singles and three walks in the last frame of the Section 7AA Playoffs semifinals game here on Tuesday. The Rails advance to the section championship on Thursday at 5pm against Aitkin. Proctor needs one win to clinch a state tournament berth; Aitkin would need to win two games on Thursday.

Esko scored two runs in the top of the first on three walks and an RBI single by Tyler Peterson. The first run scored on passed ball.

Proctor got a run back in their half after Matt Tracey reached on an error, stole second, and scored on Jake Malec's RBI single.

Esko plated two more in the second on a bases-loaded hit batsman and a bases-loaded walk for a 4-1 lead.

That all changed in the third.

Tracey led off by reaching base on an error. Matt Morris walked with one out. John Aase reached on an error to load the bases. Bryce Huffman reached on an error, scoring Tracey. Matt Sievert hit a sacrifice fly for the second out, scoring Morris. Luke Nordquist walked to load the bases. Nathan Carlson walked, scoring Aase. Huffman then scored on a wild pitch. Derek Dahlgren walked to load the bases yet again and then Tracey hit a three-run double past a diving left-fielder. All told, Proctor scored seven runs on one hit, four walks, and three errors.

Ben Fischer relieved Esko starter Derek Peterson after Tracey's hit. Peterson was tagged with the loss. He allowed eight runs (zero earned) on three hits and five walks with two strikeouts in two and two-thirds innings.

The Eskomos plated another run in the fourth on two hit batsmen and an error. The run scored on a two-base passed ball.

In the Proctor half of the fourth, Morris led off with a double, Huffman walked with one out, and Nordquist singled to load the bases once more. Carlson walked, sending in Morris for Proctor's ninth run.

Zach Gunderson came in to relieve Proctor starter Morris for the fifth. Morris (6-2 W-L, 2.21 ERA) earned the win; he allowed five runs (four earned) on three hits, four walks, and four hit batsmen in four innings. He had three strikeouts.

Gunderson pitched two shutout innings while Proctor tacked on its tenth run in the sixth when pinch-runner Ricky Steel took over for Sievert after a lead-off walk, advanced to second on Nordquist's sacrifice bunt, moved to third on a passed ball, and scored on another passed ball.

Gunderson started the seventh but Malec replaced him after a walk, a single, and a walk loaded the bases with no outs. Malec quickly got a strikeout, but then surrendered an RBI single to Cole Litsey, cutting the lead to 10-6. Another strikeout preceeded an RBI walk to Reid Davidson and a 10-7 lead. The final out was recorded on a deep fly ball off the bat of Nick Emanuel. Carlson had it tracked off the bat and camped under it, with his back against the fence, for the final out.

Malec picked up his second career save, and first since 2014. He allowed no runs on one hit and one walk with two strikeouts.

Malec was 2-for-4 with an RBI; Tracey was 1-for-4 with a double, two runs and three RBI; Morris was 1-for-3 with a double and two runs; Sievert was 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI; and Carlson had two RBI.

Proctor advances to the Section 7AA championship for the seventh time in school history. The Rails captured the title in 1976, 2011, and 2012, and were runners-up in 1978, 1982, and 1984.