Duluth East second baseman Jake Kinney singled in pinch runner Sam Koltes for the winning run, as Duluth East defeated Rocori 4-3 in the eighth inning during a Class AAA high school baseball quarterfinal this afternoon at Midway Stadium in St. Paul.
Pitcher Ryan McKowski was the winning pitcher, allowing just three hits, while striking out eight in eight innings of work.
McKowski struck out all three Spartan batters in the bottom of the eighth.
In the bottom of the seventh inning with the score tied at 3-3, senior catcher Carl Keuning tagged out Jon Lardy at homeplate to save the Greyhounds. Keuning sprained his ankle on the play and was down on the ground for about five minutes. He did return in the eighth inning.
East had 10 hits off two pitchers from Rocori; Sam Patnoe, Skyler Murray and McKowski all recorded two hits.
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East (17-8) faces Cretin-Derham Hall this evening at Midway Stadium. The game is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m., but will likely start later.
