Aitkin at Deer River
4:30 p.m., Thursday, May 25

At least one of these teams with have their impressive average scoring differential of more than 9.5 runs lowered as two of the top small schools in the north meet in preparation for the postseason.

Aitkin (17-1, 12-0) collected 17 hits in a 10-4 win over Hinckley-Finlayson on May 16, and promptly upped its mercy-rule victory tally to 10 this season after a 19-1 thrashing of Braham on May 19. Leadoff hitter Wyatt Sanford was 6-for-9 with four RBI and four runs scored in the No. 14-2A Gobblers' two wins.

Deer River (15-2, 4-0) collected its ninth mercy-rule win, a 10-0 victory over Class 1A, Section 7 foe Mountain-Iron Buhl on May 19. Jaxson Willis pitched a two-hit shutout, and the No. 6-1A Warriors supplemented that with a 9-3 decision over section rival Cherry on the same day.