Grant Dierkhising's two-run double in the first inning was all the offensive support Chris Bruhn would need as the Park Rapids baseball team opened the Section 8AA playoffs with a 4-1 win over Pequot Lakes Thursday at the Area High School diamond.
Bruhn finished with a five-hit complete game as the Panthers, the No. 2 seed in Subsection 3, eliminated the No. 3-seeded Patriots. Bruhn threw a four-hitter in Park Rapids' 2-1 win over Pequot Lakes earlier this season. Pequot Lakes defeated the Panthers 9-5 in their other regular-season meeting.
Pequot Lakes jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Nate Dickmeyer's RBI single scored Shane Humphrey, who also singled.
But the Panthers responded in the bottom of the inning as four hits led to three runs. Doug Haas and Zach Lehrke led off with singles and Tom Juberian followed with an RBI single to tie the game. With two outs, Dierkhising lined a two-run double as courtesy-runner Justin Peterson and Juberian scored what proved to be the winning runs.
Bruhn allowed only three baserunners over the next five innings. Pequot Lakes' Bryce Szymanski also pitched well as singles by Haas and Lehrke with two outs in the second were the only Park Rapids hits until the fifth.
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A lead-off walk to Rocky Donatelle and a two-out walk to Juberian set up Kyle Blanchard's RBI single. Donatelle was safe at home when Humphrey dropped the relay throw. That gave the Panthers a 4-1 lead.
The Patriots attempted a rally in the seventh when an error and a two-out walk provided two baserunners. But Bruhn retired the next batter to preserve the win.
Haas, Lehrke and Dierkhising all had two hits to pace the Panthers' eight-hit attack. Bruhn struck out five to improve to 5-2.
The Panthers carried a six-game winning streak and 15-6 overall record into Monday's section quarterfinal game at Perham.
Peq. Lakes 100 000 0 .....1 5 0
Park Rapids 300 010 x .....4 8 1
PLAYER AB R H RBI
Haas 2 1 2 0
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Lehrke 3 0 2 0
Peterson 0 1 0 0
Juberian 2 1 1 1
Gartner 0 0 0 0
Blanchard 3 0 1 1
Bruhn 3 0 0 0
Dierkhising 3 0 2 2
Ryan 3 0 0 0
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Vaadeland 3 0 0 0
R. Donatelle 1 1 0 0
Totals 23 4 8 4
Bryce Szymanski and Humphrey; Bruhn (7IP, 1ER, 5H, 1BB, 1HBP, 5K) and Lehrke. W-Bruhn, 5-2. L-Szymanski. 2B: Dierkhising 1. SB: Haas 1.
