by Max Mercy

PROCTOR -- Proctor defeated Hermantown, 12-9, in the first game of a Lake Superior Conference doubleheader. Hermantown was the home team for Game 1.

The Rails erased Hermantown's 3-1 lead with a four-run seventh inning to take a 5-3 lead.

Hermantown answered with two in the bottom of the seventh to send the game into extra innings.

Proctor scored seven in the ninth, and held on to win despite the Hawks getting the tying run up to bat in the bottom of the ninth.

Hermantown took a 3-0 lead in the second inning on four hits and two Rails errors. Ben Siljendahl hit a two-run single to begin the scoring.

Zach Gunderson hit a wind-aided double to lead off the Rails' fourth, and he scored from second when Blake Koski reached on an error.

Hermantown starter Wyatt Sonneson threw six innings and allowed one run (unearned) on two hits and four walks with seven strikeouts. He faced one batter in the seventh--Jordan Linder, who singled to start the comeback.

Elliott Peterson relieved Sonneson. He got Cole Johnson to bounce into a fielder's choice which forced Linder out at second. Jerid Parrott ran for Johnson and stole second. Austin Parrott then singled. Ben Harnell hit into a fielder's choice, but an error on the play allowed Jerid Parrott to score. Lucas Nordquist singled to load the bases before Bryce Huffman hit a two-RBI ground-rule double. Chris Preston, running for Nordquist, scored on an RBI groundout by Ryan Lear.

Gunderson started for Proctor and worked the first four innings. He allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts. Lear pitched two scoreless innings with no hits or walks allowed. Nordquist came on in the seventh for a save opportunity.

Two Rails errors with one out preceeded a two-run double by Sonneson that tied the game.

Neither team scored in the eighth.

Proctor sent 12 batters to the plate in the ninth and came away with a 12-5 lead. Gunderson hit an RBI double, Linder had an RBI single, and Cole Johnson hit a two-RBI single.

Jake Pioro faced four batters without recording an out to start the ninth. He was relieved by Ethan Bakke, who made his varsity pitching debut. Bakke hit the first batter he faced for the Hawks' second run of the inning. He then got a fielder's choice groundout for the first out. Rico Rodriguez hit an RBI single for the Hawks, his third hit of the game, before Bakke induced two groundouts to end the game.

Nordquist (1-0 W-L, 0.00 ERA) picked up the win. He allowed two unearned runs on two hits and two walks with one strikeout in two innings.

Brandon Schmidt was the losing pitcher. He allowed seven runs (one earned) on four hits and two walks with one strikeout in two innings.

Gunderson and Linder had two hits apiece, and Huffman, Gunderson, and Cole Johnson had two RBI each for Proctor.

Siljendahl had two hits and three RBI for Hermantown.