MOORHEAD-Hunter Wicklund drove in the winning run in the top of the ninth inning as the seventh-seeded Brainerd Warriors eliminated the No. 6 Moorhead Spuds 4-3 in a Section 8-4A tournament losers bracket game Friday.
In the Brainerd ninth, Broc Peterson led off with a single. Two outs later, McCale Peterson singled. Wicklund followed with a single to score Broc Peterson.
The Warriors are scheduled to play the top-seeded St. Michael-Albertville/No. 5 Buffalo loser in a losers bracket game at Cold Spring at 5 p.m. Saturday, June 2. If Brainerd wins, it will play again at 7:30 p.m.
Senior right-hander Max Boran got the win in relief of Colin Kleffman. Boran struck out four, walked one and allowed no hits in 2.1 innings.
Kleffman went 6.2 solid innings. He gave up three runs (all earned) and eight hits with one walk and four strikeouts. He left the game after meeting the playoff pitch limit of 115 pitches.
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McCale Peterson finished 3-for-5 with a 2-out solo home run in the third. Wicklund finished 3-5 and Alex Haapajoki 2-4.
In the Brainerd sixth, Wicklund led off with a base hit and stole second. Kleffman then ripped an RBI double, stole third and scored on Haapajoki's hit.
Warriors head coach Lowell Scearcy said Eric Martin is the likely starter Saturday.
Brainerd 001 002 001-4 13 1
Moorhead 102 000 000-3 8 0
9 innings
WP: Max Boran. LP: Sterling Haphey. 2B: B-Sam Miller, Colin Kleffman. HR: B-McCale Peterson. Overall: Brd 10-12. Next: No. 7 Brainerd vs. No. 1 St. Michael-Albertville/No. 5 Buffalo loser in Section 8-4A losers bracket game at Cold Spring 5 p.m. Saturday, June 2, losers bracket game 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
