by Max Mercy

Proctor, down 3-2, rallied for six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and went on to defeat Cloquet, 8-3, in a Lake Superior Conference baseball game at Egerdahl Field on Thurs., May 11.

In the sixth, Zach Gunderson led off with a walk and Mason Flick replaced him as a courtesy runner. Flick advanced to third on a double by Blake Koski. Ryan Lear's line drive nearly gave Proctor a 4-3 lead, but it was snared by the Lumberjacks' second baseman for the first out of the inning. Then, Cole Johnson, in a pinch-hit role, knocked an RBI single down the third-base line for his first varsity hit, scoring Flick for the tying run. Ben Harnell then ran for Johnson before Jordan Linder's go-ahead RBI single plated Koski. After a pitching change, Reid Morin singled to load the bases and Luke Nordquist emptied them with a three-RBI triple. Nordquist scored the Rails' eighth run on an RBI double by John Aase.

Gunderson (2-1 W-L, 1.27 ERA) earned the win in a complete-game effort. He allowed three runs (all unearned) on four hits, four walks, and one hit batsman in seven innings. He had three strikeouts.

Cloquet starter Jon Baker worked five innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits and three walks with eight strikeouts. Losing pitcher Ethan Bergman allowed four runs on three hits and a walk in one-third of an inning. Noah Witte relieved Bergman in the sixth an allowed two runs on three hits, a walk, and two hit batsmen in two-thirds of an inning.

Proctor scored the game's first run in the first inning. Morin led off with a walk and Harnell entered the game as his courtesy runner. Nordquist followed with a single and an error on the play allowed Harnell to score from first base.

Cloquet tied the score at 1-1 in the second inning as Tim Pokornowski led off with a double and scored on an error with two outs.

Proctor went ahead 2-1 in the second as Koski singled, advanced to second on a passed ball, and scored on Morin's RBI double with two outs.

The Lumberjacks scored twice in the fourth to take the 3-2 lead that lasted into the sixth. Jake Johnson led off by reaching base on an error. Baker followed by also reaching on a fielder's choice error. After one out, Witte also reached on a fielder's choice error to load the bases. Cooper Grashorn drew an RBI walk, scoring Johnson, and Gavin Rassumssen's sacrifice fly plated Baker.

Nordquist was 2-for-4 with a triple, a run, and three RBI. Morin was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Aase was 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Koski was 2-for-3 with a double and two runs, and Linder was 1-for-2 with a run and an RBI.

Pokornowski was 2-for-4 with a double and a run for Cloquet.

Proctor, 6-3, is back in action at home on Fri., May 12, in a conference game against Ashland at 4:30 p.m.