by Max Mercy

HIBBING -- Jon Baker and Pat Delizio combined on a three-hitter as Cloquet took the opening game of the Mike Bugliosi Wood Bat Classic from Proctor, 4-1. Delizio earned the win with four innings of relief pitching. He allowed one run on three hits with three strikeouts. Baker started and struck out all nine batters he faced in his three innings on the mound.

Cloquet went ahead 2-0 with two runs in the top of the second. Noah Witte and Delizio started the inning with back-to-back singles. Witte advanced to third on Delizio's hit and scored when Noah Neimi reached on an error. Delizio scored on an RBI double with two outs by Cooper Grashorn.

Proctor scored its run in the fourth. Ben Harnell beat the throw for an infield hit to lead off. Lucas Nordquist followed with a single that sent Harnell to second, and Bryce Huffman's RBI single plated Harnell and sent Nordquist to third. Huffman later stole second, but the Rails were unable to capitalize on the two-on-and-no-out situation.

Cloquet made it 3-1 with a run in the fifth. Gavin Rasmussen led off with a single and stole second. He took third on Witte's single with two outs. Rasmussen scored when Witte stole second on an early-break situation.

The Lumberjacks scored their final run in the sixth. Cade Anderson hit a double with one out, and he scored on Grashorn's RBI single with two outs.

Proctor starter Zach Gunderson (1-3 W-L, 3.79 ERA) was the losing pitcher. He allowed four runs (three earned) on 10 hits with eight strikeouts. Ethan Bakke pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning in relief. There were no walks or hit batsmen allowed by either team.

Grashorn batted 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI to lead the 'Jacks. Rasmussen and Witte had two hits apiece.

Proctor, now 8-5, is back in action in the Bugliosi tournament in Hibbing on Saturday, May 19, when they take on Superior at 3:00 p.m. and Hibbing at 5:30 p.m.