Maple Lake junior starting pitcher Hunter Malachek got all the offense he needed when senior catcher Jack Seibert opened the sixth inning with a home run to deep left to put the game’s first and only run on the board. The solo shot helped lift the No. 4 seed Irish past No. 5 Proctor 1-0 in the Class 2A quarterfinals at Dick Putz Field in St. Cloud.

Malachek was sharp on the mound to outduel Proctor’s John Aase. He limited the Rails to just three baserunners, which came on two hits and a hit batter.

Aase scattered four hits and three walks while striking out eight batters in a losing effort.

With the win, the Irish (23-6) advance to play in the semifinals against top seed Belle Plaine on Friday at noon.

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