Kyle Hall earned his second league win of the week as the Padres defeated the Oulu Blue Jays in an Upper 13 League baseball game at Proctor on the Fourth of July. Proctor moved to one game behind Oulu in the league standings. Hall combined with relief pitchers Nick Koubsky and Joe Collier on a four-hitter with no earned runs allowed. Collier earned his second save in league play.
Proctor scored first with a run by Alan Schmidt in the third inning. Schmidt reached base on an error, stole second and scored on a base hit by Collier on a close play at the plate.
Oulu answered with a run in the top of the fourth inning when Jeff Lahti led off by getting hit by a pitch. He advanced to third base on a single by Keith Johnson and scored on a passed ball that got away from Proctor catcher Tim Nylund.
Proctor broke the 1-1 tie right away with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Bob Baxton singled and moved to third as the Blue Jays elected to get the lead runner out on Jason Melander's bunt, but the throw was off-line. Hall then delivered a two-run double to the left-center field gap.
Melander led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a ground-rule double but the Padres were then retired in order.
Schmidt added an insurance run for Proctor in the seventh inning. He reached base on a walk, advanced to second base on a single by Collier and scored from second when the throw to first base from the shortstop on a ground ball off the bat of Baxton got past the first baseman. Melander then singled to load the bases, but Proctor was unable to capitalize on the scoring opportunity as Nylund struck out to end the inning.
Tom Simonson scored a run for Oulu in the eighth inning to close the book on the game's scoring. He reached base on an error, stole second base, moved to third base on a passed ball, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jeff Lahti.
Oulu got the potential go-ahead run to the plate in the ninth inning as Collier allowed a walk and a single before recording the final out.
Proctor improves to 6-2 in the Upper 13 League. Oulu was handed their first loss in league play. Oulu is now 7-1.
Proctor travels to Superior for an Upper 13 League contest against the Lakers on Sun., July 6, at Morrie Arnovich Field. The game will begin at 1:30 p.m.