Perham broke open a close game by scoring nine runs in the fifth and sixth innings to eliminate Park Rapids from the Section 8AA baseball tournament with a 15-5 victory Tuesday at Perham.
Park Rapids led 4-3 in the third inning and was within 6-5 after four innings before the Yellowjackets strung together six hits in the fifth inning and used four hits, three walks and an error to score six runs in the sixth inning to win via the 10-run rule.
During the regular season, these two teams played three times with Park Rapids winning the first game 8-2 and the Yellow-jackets sweeping a Mid-State Conference doubleheader by scores of 6-3 and 3-0.
The rematch in the section quarterfinals, which was postponed Monday be-cause of rain, saw Perham take a 3-0 lead in the first on three hits and an error. Isaac Stoll's RBI double was the key hit.
Park Rapids, which wasted singles by Zach Lehrke and Tom Juberian in the first inning, capitalized on four hits and an error to take a 4-3 lead in the third. Jed Ryan and Lehrke singled and Juberian followed with an RBI single. Pinch-runner Justin Peterson scored on an error. After a walk to Kyle Blanchard, a two-run double by Chris Bruhn gave the Panthers the lead.
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Four more hits, including another double by Stoll and RBI singles by Ryan Enger and Phillip Moenkedick, led to three runs in the bottom of the inning as Perham led 6-4.
In the fourth, Rocky Donatelle led off with a double and scored on a passed ball as the Panthers closed the margin to 6-5.
But five singles and a two-run double by Evan Meece led to three runs in the fifth before four singles, three walks, an error and a sacrifice fly ended the game early in the sixth.
Lehrke and Juberian each went 2 for 3 as the Panthers were held to seven hits in the game. Brandon Gartner started while Bruhn took the loss in relief as the Panthers ended the season with a 15-7 record. Rocky Donatelle, Brandon May and Eli Donatelle faced batters in the sixth inning.
Perham pounded out 17 hits to advance to the section semifinals with a 17-5 record. The 17 hits and 15 runs were the most allowed by the Panthers this season. Pequot Lakes had 11 hits in a 9-5 win over Park Rapids earlier in the season.
Park Rapids 004 100 .....5 7 3
Perham 303 036 ...15 17 2
PLAYER AB R H RBI
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Haas 3 0 0 0
Lehrke 3 0 2 0
Peterson 0 1 0 0
Juberian 3 1 2 1
Gartner 0 0 0 0
Blanchard 2 1 0 0
Bruhn 3 0 1 2
Dierkhising 3 0 0 0
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Vaadeland 2 0 0 0
May 1 0 0 0
R. Donatelle 3 1 1 0
Ryan 2 1 1 0
Totals 25 5 7 3
Gartner (2.1IP, 6H, 5R, 4ER, 0BB, 0K), Bruhn (2.2IP, 8H, 5ER, 1BB, 1K), R. Donatelle (0IP, 2H, 3ER, 1BB, 0K), May (0IP, 0H, 2R, 1ER, 2BB, 0K), E. Donatelle (.1IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 0K) and Lehrke; Masinas, Stoll (4) and K. Moenkedick. W-Masinas. L-Bruhn, 5-3. Sv-Stoll. 2B: Bruhn 1, R. Donatelle 1. SB: Juberian 1.
