Spartans Top Magic To Advance In Section 5-3A Playoffs

COLD SPRING -- The Rocori Spartans baseball team stayed alive in the Section 5-3A playoffs on Thursday afternoon.

No. 2 Rocori topped No. 3 Monticello 5-2 at the Cold Spring Baseball Park to advance in the losers bracket of the Section 5-3A tournament.

The Spartans kicked off the scoring in the game, tallying three runs in the third inning and one run in each of the fourth and sixth innings.

Monticello scored one run in each of the sixth and seventh innings, but Rocori held the Magic off to get the win.

Brandon Gill led the Spartans in the game, pitching 6 1/3 innings to get the win. He gave up four hits, one run, four walks and struck out seven. Nick Penick pitched the final 2/3 of an inning in relief.

Jordan Barth lifted Rocori at the plate, finishing 2-for-4 with one run scored and three RBI. Dylan Tebrake went 2-for-4 with one run scored and one RBI, Sam Young went 2-for-2 with three runs scored and Gill finished 1-for-3 with one RBI.

Alex Otto went 1-for-3 with one RBI to lead Monticello at the plate. Otto also took a complete-game loss, giving up eight hits, five runs, four walks and striking out five.

With the win, Rocori improves to 14-8 overall and will face No. 4 Big Lake in the losers bracket of the Section 5-3A tournament at noon Saturday at Joe Faber Field in St. Cloud.

Here are scores from the Section 5-3A tournament Thursday:

- No.1 St. Cloud Tech 13, No. 4 Big Lake 0 (5 innings)

- No. 6 St. Cloud Apollo 3, No. 7 Willmar 2

- No. 2 Rocori 5, No. 3 Monticello 2

- No. 5 Sauk Rapids 9, No. 8 Becker 8