GRAND RAPIDS-Right-hander Eric Martin delivered a 3-hitter as the fourth-seeded Brainerd American Legion team moved into the driver's seat in the Substate 10 Tournament with a 3-0 victory over No. 6 Hibbing in a winners bracket game Thursday, July 27.
Brainerd entered its Friday, July 27, game against No. 3 Cloquet as the tournament's only unbeaten team. If it beats Cloquet, Brainerd plays for the championship at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 28.
Martin, who walked three and struck out three, threw 60 of 100 pitches for strikes as Brainerd recorded its third shutout of the tournament. Colin Kleffman blanked No. 5 Lakeview of Duluth 1-0 in the opening round. Hunter Wicklund whitewashed No. 6 Hibbing 2-0 in the second round.
Kleffman contributed two of Brainerd's seven hits against Hibbing. McCale Peterson, Max Boran and Ben Jones drove in runs for Brainerd which scored all three of its runs in the third inning.
Hibbing 0 3 1
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Brainerd 3 7 0
WP: Eric Martin. 2B: B-McCale Peterson. Overall: B 20-11. Next: No. 4 Brainerd vs. No. 3 Cloquet in winners bracket of Substate 10 Tournament at Grand Rapids 7 p.m. Friday, July 27.
