Hopkins took advantage of six walks and a pair of wild pitches in the top of the eighth inning to claim an 11-5 win over Benilde-St. Margaret's in an early-season meeting between Section 6AAA rivals.

After three walks loaded the bases in the eighth inning, Andy Wicklund broke the 4-4 tie with an RBI single and Joey Brettingen followed with a two-run double. J.T. BenHartog later capped the rally with a two-run, ground-rule double.

The teams traded runs in the first inning. Wicklund's RBI double plated Tanner Holmquist with the game's first run. The Red Knights responded as Robby Sutherland led off by being hit by a pitch and later scored on a wild pitch.

The Royals got another run in the second when Jake Price doubled home Jack Deutsch and extended the lead to 3-1 in the third when Wicklund scored on Matt Sinderson's RBI groundout.

BSM tied the game in its half of the third when Joe Melles led off with a double and, one out later, Gabe MacDonald was hit by a pitch. Jack McGinn and Grant Besse then followed with RBI singles.

Each team scored once in the seventh inning to send the game into extra frames.

With Holmquist having reached on an error to lead off the inning and eventually advancing to third base, Matt Sinderson walked on four pitches and, on ball four, Holmquist scored on a straight steal of home.

The Red Knights got the run back when MacDonald led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk and he moved to second on McGinn's sacrifice bunt. Andrew Murnane came on as a pinch runner and the speedy junior immediately scored when Besse singled to center.

Logan Athmann picked up the win in relief for the Royals as he worked three innings, allowing one run on two hits.

BSM starter Marcus Barone got a no-decision after working seven innings after allowing four runs, three earned, on seven hits with four walks and three strikeouts. He threw 119 pitches.

The top three hitters in the Hopkins lineup; Holmquist, Wicklund and Brettingen; combined for seven of the team's 10 hits while scoring six runs and driving in four. Wicklund was 3-for-4 with two RBI.

Besse was 2-for-4 with two RBI to lead the Red Knights, who also collected 10 hits.

A complete box score, game statistics and play-by-play are available here.