Spartans Advance to Section Semifinals with 3-2 Win

COLD SPRING -- The ROCORI Spartans baseball team continued their winning ways in the Section 5-3A Playoffs on Thursday afternoon in Cold Spring.

The second-seeded Spartans defeated No. 6 St. Cloud Apollo 3-2 in the second round of the section playoffs at the Cold Spring Baseball Park and will advance to the section semifinals on Saturday at St. John's University.

ROCORI got the scoring going in the bottom of the fifth inning of Thursday's victory, scoring two runs in the bottom half of the frame to jump out to the 2-0 lead. The Spartans later added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth to stretch their lead to 3-2.

Apollo's attempt at a late-game comeback fell short in the seventh inning, scoring two runs and threatening with two runners in scoring position, but the Eagles were held in check to allow ROCORI to come away with the win.

Jack Steil earned a complete-game win on the mound to lead the way for the Spartans. He gave up just two hits, no earned runs, three walks and struck out five to help ROCORI advance.

At the plate, Brady Klehr went 2-for-3 with one RBI and Brady Linn went 2-for-2 with one run scored for the Spartans. Steil and Rudy Notch each added one hit and one run scored and Brock Humbert finished with one hit in the game.

With the win, ROCORI advances in the winners bracket of the Section 5-3A Playoffs and will face No. 1 Monticello in the section semifinals on Saturday at St. John's University in Collegeville.

To view the full Section 5-3A Playoff Bracket, click here.