by Max Mercy

RIB LAKE, Wis. -- The Hudson River Rats defeated the Lake Superior Sea Dogs, 8-0, in the second round of the 70th annual WBA Playoffs here on Sunday. Hudson advances to the eight-team finals weekend, Aug. 17-19, at Osseo, Wisconsin.

Sam Glade and Dennis Reinhardt combined on a four-hit shutout. Glade, the winning pitcher, threw seven innings and allowed three hits and three walks with nine strikeouts. Reinhardt allowed one hit and one walk with three strikeouts in two innings.

The River Rats scored the only run that mattered in the fourth inning on a triple-steal play. Brady Gunderson led the charge, sliding just underneath the tag of catcher Jacob Becks. It was the only run of the inning.

Hudson scored two runs in the top of the fifth on an RBI double by Joe Patterson and an RBI single by Gunderson.

The sixth inning featured an RBI single by Luke Le May and a two-run double by Blake Berger.

Mitch Lewis capped the scoring with a two-run double in the seventh.

Gunderson led Hudson with three hits. Berger, Patterson, Matt Schwelhler, and Chris Dent had two hits apiece.

Losing pitcher Peter Lenz allowed three runs on four hits and three walks in four and one-third innings. He had three strikeouts.

Derrick Winn, Sam Lehman, Seth Anderson, and Peter Atiemo had singles for Lake Superior.

The Sea Dogs finish the season with an overall record of 10-11. They qualified for the WBA Playoffs by posting an 8-2 record in the Upper 13 League.