Benilde-St. Margaret’s took a 4-1 lead after just two innings but need a pair of runs in its final at bat to break a tie and defeat Orono, 7-6, in a Section 6AAA first-round playoff game at Alimagnet Park in Burnsville.

The Red Knights jumped on top early as Dan Labosky walked to open the bottom of the first inning. He moved to second base on Sam Lynch’s sacrifice but, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Keaton Studsrud’s sacrifice fly out.

Justin Peikes led off the second inning for the Spartans with a doubled but BSM started Mikey McGill quickly got the next two outs before a single by Jacob Lanie tied the game.

The home team put together a three-run rally in the third, using a pair of Orono errors as Michael Kaminski began the outburst with a one-out single. Marshall Hoemke then reached on an error and before Jimmy Cron walked to load the bases.

Nathan Hanks followed with a ground ball to shortstop but, attempting to start a double play, Mitch Carlson threw the ball into right field bringing in two and Labosky’s single brought in the third run.

One out later, Studsrud walked to load the bases before Grant Besse drove the ball to deep left-center field. Peikes, however, made a diving catch to end the inning when it appeared the Red Knights would score three more runs on the play.

McGill ran into trouble in the fourth inning as two base hits, a sacrifice bunt and a two-run double would allow Orono to pull to within 4-3 and end McGill’s start on the mound.

Dunham DeRemer came on and induced a pop out to get out of the inning but, after retiring the first batter he saw in the fifth inning, he allowed a game-tying solo home run to Trevor Knight and, with a series of right-handed batters due up, the left handed DeRemer was lifted for righty Colin Polarek.

The Spartans would take a 5-4 lead off of Polarek with an unearned run but BSM got that back in its half of the fifth inning with another unearned run as Studsrud led off with a single and Grant Besse walked. Pinch-hitter Chris Racchini then beat out a bunt attempt at first and an errant throw on the play allowed Studsrud to score.

Labosky took over the pitching duties in the sixth inning and worked a 1-2-3 inning and then stroked a one-out single in the bottom of the frame to start the Red Knights’ final rally.

Sam Lynch followed with a single and the pair stole second and third to set up Studsrud’s second sacrifice fly of the game, breaking the 5-5 tie, and Besse followed with a double for a much-needed insurance run.

Peikes’ second double of the game came with one out in the seventh and, after advancing to third on a ground out, he scored on Sean Shelton’s single before Labosky got a pop out to end the game.

Labosky picked up the win on the mound and also led the Red Knight offense, going 3-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base, an RBI and two runs scored. Studsrud drove in two runs with a pair of sacrifice flies while also collecting a single and a walk.

With the win, the fourth-seeded Red Knights advanced to double-elimination play in the Section 6AAA playoffs and will meet fifth-seeded Hopkins at 8 a.m., Monday, at the Metrodome, the site of the teams’ season-opener in which Hopkins posted an 11-0, five-inning victory.

The loser of that game will face the loser of the 10 a.m. game between #8 Richfield and #1 Wayzata in a game slated for 12 p.m. Monday. The winners of the two games will meet Tuesday, at 4:30 p.m., at Edina’s Braemar Park.

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