Blaine beat Duluth East 1-0 in a pitchers' duel in the championship game of the Class 4A, Section 7 baseball tournament on Tuesday in Forest Lake.
Jack Haring allowed three hits and a walk and struck out four for the Bengals. The Greyhounds' Jaxon Edwards also allowed three hits, walked four and had seven strikeouts. Haring pitched his fourth consecutive complete-game shutout and extended his scoreless streak to 28⅔ innings. His ERA this season is 0.62.
Jason Kaul scored the game's only run on Jon Koenig's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third. Kaul led off the inning with a walk, then stole second. Bryce Nelson moved him to third on a single. Koenig hit the ball deep enough on the seventh pitch of his at-bat to score Kaul.
Kyle Doup had two of Duluth East's three hits, including a double.
Blaine will make its second consecutive trip to the state tournament and third in the past four years. Before that, the Bengals had never reached the state tournament dating to the school's opening in 1972. They placed fourth a year ago.
Class 4A, Section 1: Lakeville North overcame a 2-0 deficit in the top of the fifth inning against New Prague to force a winner-take-all championship game. Patrick Timmer hit the two-run, game-tying single. The game was called early because of rain and thunder. If the Panthers win, it will be their seventh consecutive section championship. The Trojans are attempting to get back to the state tournament for the first time since 1980.
STAFF REPORTS
