by Max Mercy

ST CLOUD -- Donnie Musgrove's single in the bottom of the seventh scored Jake Hjelle and capped a five-run rally over two innings as East Grand Forks defeated Proctor, 9-8, in the State Class AA Consolation Championship game at Joe Faber Field on Friday evening.

The Green Wave, down 8-4 through five and a half innings, scored three runs in the sixth and two with no outs in the seventh for the victory.

East Grand Forks took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third. Braden Shea led off with a single and scored on a throwing error on Chance Borden's sacrifice bunt. Borden later scored on an RBI single by Trevor Selk.

Proctor rallied for five runs in the fourth. Jake Malec led off with a single and stole second. Matt Morris walked. John Aase then hit a three-run home run, his fifth homer of the season. Matt Sievert drew a one-out walk to get the inning going again. He was followed by Luke Nordquist reaching base on a hit-by-pitch. Nathan Carlson hit an RBI single, scoring Sievert and sending Nordquist to third. Nordquist then scored on a wild pitch.

With two runs in the fourth, East Grand Forks brought the score to 5-4. Dylan Selk led off with a hit-by-pitch and was followed by a single by Wyatt Swanson. Both runners moved up a base on a passed ball, and Selk scored on a sacrifice fly by Borden. Swanson then scored on a double by Hjella.

Proctor scored three runs in the fifth as Malec led off with a walk and stole second ahead of Morris reaching on a hit-by-pitch. Aase singled, sending in Malec for the Rails' sixth run and advancing Morris to second. Aase took second and Morris moved to third on an error on the play, Morris then scored on a passed ball as Aase took third. Aase scored Proctor's final run on an RBI groundout by Blake Koski.

Proctor starting pitcher Zach Gunderson worked the first five innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits, three walks, and two hit batsmen with one strikeout.

Wildness affected the last two innings. Malec, who relieved Gunderson to start the sixth, allowed three runs on four walks and a hit batsman. He was relieved by Nordquist, who worked two-thirds of an inning and allowed one walk. Nordquist, who entered the game with an 8-6 lead and the bases loaded with one out, got two of the three batters he faced out and Proctor clung to an 8-7 lead going into the final inning.

Aase relieved Nordquist to start the seventh, but he did not record an out. Borden was hit by a pitch, Hjella walked, Trevor Selk was hit by a pitch, and Jake Mushitz was hit by a pitch, plating Borden for the tying run. Then Musgrove's single down the right field line ended the game, and the season.

Aase (7-3 W-L, 2.15 ERA) was the losing pitcher. He allowed two runs on one hit, one walk, and three hit batsmen.

Wyatt Swanson picked up the win in relief of starter Cole Hammargren. Swanson pitched two and two-thirds scoreless innings and allowed two hits and one walk. Hammargren allowed seven earned runs on seven hits, four walks, and two hit batsmen.

Malec was 3-for-3 with two runs and two stolen bases. Aase was 3-for-4 with a home run, two runs, and four RBI.

Proctor finished the season with a 19-7 record, tied with the 2012 season for the second most wins in school history. Only the 2011 season had more, with 22.