by Max Mercy

Hermantown rallied for seven unanswered runs to defeat Proctor, 9-8, in a Lake Superior Conference baseball game at Wade Stadium in Duluth on Thurs., May 18.

The Hawks, down 1-0, 6-0, 6-2, and 8-2, scored one run in the fifth, five runs in the sixth to tie the score, and one run in the seventh to take the lead.

Elliott Peterson, who walked to lead off the seventh, scored the go-ahead run. He advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Brandon Schmidt, took third on a passed ball, and scored on a passed ball.

In the Hawks' big sixth inning, Brandon Schmidt walked and, with two outs, Jesse Jacques was hit by a pitch. Proctor starter Zach Gunderson, forced out of the game due to the MSHSL's pitch-count rule, was then relieved by Jake Pioro. Drew Adamec then reached on an error to load the bases. Tyler Pilon hit an RBI single, scoring Schmidt. Reese Fish followed with an RBI single, plating Jacques. An outfield error on the play allowed Fish to circle the bases, behind Adamec and Pilon, to tie the score.

Proctor took a 1-0 lead in the second when Blake Koski tripled and scored on Ryan Lear's sacrifice fly.

The Rails scored five runs in the third, capped by Koski's three-RBI triple. His two triples in a game tied the PHS record set by Jon Kent in 2007 (Kent equaled the feat again in 2007, and Justin Scanlon [2010], Cody Dolsen [2011], and John Aase [2015] each hit two triples in a game for the Rails. Two triples in one game is tied for sixth in the state records).

Hermantown cut the Rails' lead to 6-2 with two runs in the fourth. Peterson knocked in Pilon with an RBI single, and Schmidt hit into an RBI ground out, scoring Fish.

Proctor got the two runs back in the bottom of the fourth when Reid Morin walked with one out (Ben Harnell replaced him as a courtesy runner), Harnell moved to third on a ground out by Luke Nordquist, Aase beat out an infield hit with two outs, Harnell scored on a fielder's choice when Aase stole second, Bryce Huffman walked, and Gunderson drove in Aase with an RBI single.

Schmidt earned the win. He worked one and two-thirds innings in relief of starter Brody Baker (two innings pitched; left due to injury) and Jacques (two and two-thirds innings). Schmidt did not allow any runs and was touched for one hit and two walks with one strikeout. Wyatt Sonneson replaced Schmidt with one out and two runners on base in the seventh. He recorded two outs for the save. Huffman's deep fly ball was hauled in by the center fielder on the run for the final out.

Nordquist (0-1 W-L, 1.14 ERA) took the loss. He threw one inning and allowed one unearned run on no hits and two walks with one strikeout. Gunderson allowed five runs (three earned) on nine hits, three walks, and one hit batsman. He had six strikeouts. Jake Pioro threw one-third of an inning and allowed three runs (all unearned) on two hits with no walks and no strikeouts.

Proctor banged out six hits, drew 10 walks, and left 11 runners on base. Hermantown had 11 hits, drew five walks, and left 10 runners on base.

Hermantown improved to 2-12 while Proctor dropped to 7-4.