After dropping an 8-3 decision at home to St. Louis Park earlier this season, Benilde-St. Margaret's returned the favor with a 7-3 win over the Orioles at SLP's Dakota Park.

The Red Knights jumped out to an early lead, scoring four times in the first inning, which they would never relinquish.

Dan Labosky reached on an error to begin the game, Joe Melles walked and a wild pitch moved the runners to second and third, where both advanced on Jimmy Heck's sacrifice fly.

Gabe MacDonald's infield single plated Melles and, after Grant Besse reached on a fielder's choice, John Backes delivered his team-leading third home run of the season to give BSM a four-run lead.

That lead was extended to five runs in the third inning when Melles led off with a single and, two outs later, scored on Grant Besse's double off of the center field fence.

It was in the bottom of the third inning when the Orioles scored all three of their runs, which were unearned.

A two-out error in the bottom of the third allowed two runs to scored and Zach Lewis' RBI single brought in a third run to cut BSM's lead to two runs.

The score remained 5-3 until the sixth inning when Jack McGinn was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. A sacrifice bunt by Robby Sutherland and a ground out by Keaton Studsrud moved McGinn to third base and he score when Dan Labosky bunted for a base hit.

The seventh inning brough the Red Knights their final run when Backes hit a sharp ground ball that bounced off the should of SLP second baseman Austin Broz's shoulder to drive in pinch runner Andrew Murnane.

Heck earned his fourth win of the season by grinding out a an effort which saw him scatter 10 hits and three walks in a 112-pitch outing.

The win keeps the Red Knights in first place in the North Suburban Conference with a 10-2 record while eliminating the Orioles from contention for the NSC crown.

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