Maple Lake, Duluth Marshall advance to Class 2A title game

It didn't look like the Irish of Maple Lake had much luck early in the Class 2A semifinal Friday, but their bats came through in a 4-3 victory over Jordan that put Maple Lake in the championship game.

The Irish (24-2) outhit the Hubmen 10-4 but missed opportunities early at Dick Putz Field in St. Cloud with batter interference and a batting-out-of-order call.

Jordan (15-9) took a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Maple Lake finally broke out in the sixth inning with three runs to get the lead for good.

"We got our minds right and flipped the switch," Maple Lake junior Mitch Hoistad said.

Hoistad pitched five innings, allowing three hits and picking up the win. He also drove in the eventual game-winning run in the sixth.

Jordan junior shortstop Ryan Friedges drove in a run in the seventh to cut the Irish lead to 4-3. Hubmen junior Michael Lambrecht swung for the fences, but Maple Lake center fielder Ben Goelz made a game-saving catch.

Duluth Marshall 6, Caledonia 3: Senior Derrick Winn moved from starting pitcher to catcher, a switch that helped reliever Ben Benson and his off-speed pitches shut down Caledonia.

Winn had allowed three runs on six hits in three innings. Caledonia tied the game 3-3 in the third inning.

"I realized that they can hit the straight ball," Winn said, "and I know that my teammate [Benson] has a really good off-speed pitch, so I figured if he could get them with that, then he would be able to be successful."