News '09: Hibbing 11, Proctor 9
July 23, 2009
PROCTOR -- The Hibbing Miners erased a 4-1 deficit with six runs in the seventh inning and survived Proctor's five-run rally in the bottom of the ninth to win the non-league amateur baseball game on Thursday night.
Hibbing took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a triple and a sacrifice fly, but Proctor built a lead with two runs in the third and two runs in the fifth.
In the third inning, Cody Dolsen led off with a single, advanced a base on a sacrifice bunt by Jake Rausch, and moved to third when Scott Lustig reached on an error. Dolsen scored on a fielder's choice when Lustig stole second. Lustig scored when James Ostrander reached on an error.
In the fifth inning, Rausch reached on an error, and Lustig and Kyle Cotrell walked to load the bases. Ostrander then delivered a two-run single scoring Rausch and Lustig.
Ostrander, despite allowing an occasional well-hit ball, was cruising on the mound through six innings, including a stretch of 11 straight outs. Fatigue set in in the seventh, and Hibbing capitalized -- the Miners scored six runs on five hits, two walks and an error. Ostrander picked up the loss, working six-and-one-third innings and allowing six runs on 11 hits and two walks. Matt Chruscielski pitched the final two-and-two-thirds innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits and four walks.
Proctor was trailing 11-4 going into the bottom of the ninth inning, but they mounted a courageous comeback. Matt Lloyd led off with a single and Lustig and Cotrell both walked to load the bases. Ostrander and Dan Solarz hit into back-to-back RBI fielder's choices, scoring Lloyd and Lustig respectively. Chruscielski singled, and Jason Melander followed with an RBI single scoring Solarz. Chris Musolf then reached on an error, which plated Chruscielski and Melander. Hibbing was finally able to induce a fielder's choice off of the bat of Dolsen, but he was the sixth straight batter to hit a hard-hit ball up the middle.
Proctor will host the St. Croix Ravens tonight at 7:30. It is the final home game of the season.