Flanagan, Crocker pitch Brainerd into title round

Complete-game shutouts by Burrell Flanagan and Kyle Crocker helped the top-seeded Brainerd VFW baseball team reach the championship round of the North Subdistrict 6 tournament.

On Wednesday, Flanagan three-hit Crosby-Ironton in a 10-0 six-inning victory in the first losers' bracket game. Crocker followed with a seven-hitter in another 10-0 six-inning win over St. Cloud Red.

The second victory advanced Brainerd to Thursday's championship round in which it will have to beat third-seeded Little Falls twice to capture the title.

Most importantly, the victories qualified Brainerd for the District 6 tournament, which begins Monday at Cold Spring. Sartell and Little Falls will complete the four-team, double-elimination field.

"Today, we were very efficient," Brainerd coach Tim Martin said. "Our pitching was efficient, our hitting was efficient, our defense was very solid. Kyle and Burrell both pitched very good games. They had only one walk in the two games.

"We met our goal to advance to next week's play in the district tournament. We accomplished that today with two very well-played games."

Flanagan struck out three, and walked none. Crocker walked one and struck out three.

Against C-I, Crocker went 2-for-2 with a walk, Kevin Peterson was 2-2 with a walk and two RBIs and Taylor Main was 1-3 with two RBIs.

Against St. Cloud Red, which had nipped Brainerd 2-1 in the opening round, Pat Skogen was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, Crocker went 2-3 with a three-run home run in the first and Peterson added a two-run double.

First game

Crosby-Ironton 0 3 2

Brainerd 10 13 1

6 innings

WP: Burrell Flanagan.

Second game

St. Cloud Red 0 7 1

Brainerd 10 9 0

6 innings

WP: Kyle Crocker. Record: Brd 30-7. Next: Brainerd vs. Little Falls 11 a.m. Thursday at Adamson Field, second game, if necessary 1:30 p.m.

VFW baseball

North Subdistrict 6 tournament

Adamson Field, Brainerd

Monday's games

No. 4 St. Cloud Red 14, No. 5 Crosby-Ironton 0 (5 inn.)

No. 3 Little Falls 7, No. 6 Menahga 4

No. 2 Sauk Rapids 20, No. 7 Nisswa 0 (5 inn.)

Losers' bracket

Menahga 12, Nisswa 5, Nisswa eliminated

Tuesday's games

Winners bracket

St. Cloud Red 2, No. 1 Brainerd 1

Little Falls 10, Sauk Rapids 3

Losers bracket

Brainerd 11, Menahga 4, Menahga eliminated

Crosby-Ironton 10, Sauk Rapids 8, Sauk Rapids eliminated

Wednesday, July 23

Winners bracket: Little Falls 6, St. Cloud Red 2

Losers bracket: Brainerd 10, Crosby-Ironton 0, (6 inn.) C-I eliminated

Losers bracket: Brainerd 10, St. Cloud Red 0 (6 inn.), St. Cloud eliminated

Thursday, July 24

Championship, Little Falls vs. Brainerd, 11 a.m.

Championship, 1:30 p.m. (If necessary)