MITCHELL — Alexandria-Platte Part IV didn’t disappoint. 

The Sunshine League foes played for the fourth time in a month and Monday’s version lived up to the billing. Behind two timely hits, Alexandria outlasted Platte 4-3 at the Class B state amateur baseball tournament at Cadwell Park. 

“They always give us a battle,” Alexandria third baseman Pierce Smith said. “It seems like the last couple of years they’ve been at the top of the league. So we expected it. We knew they were going to be tough. So glad to get a win.”

Alexandria improved to 3-1 against Platte this season and exacted a measure of revenge from earlier this season. On July 7, the Killer Tomatoes outlasted the Angels (4-3) in a 14-inning marathon game. 

“They are a good ball club and we knew that coming in,” Alexandria shortstop Jordan Gau said. “I always say it, experience always pays off and we have a pretty experienced bunch. We were never down in the dugout. It was let’s play to our last out and just keep fighting and it worked out in our favor tonight.” 

On Monday, the Angels overcame three errors and used a pair late-inning hits to rally past Platte. In the seventh, Platte’s Richard Sternberg hit a two-out RBI double for a 3-1 advantage. 

In the eighth, Pierce Smith tied it up on a two-run homer over the 340-foot left field fence. 

“I was looking for a ball to hit hard on the barrel,” Smith said. “Obviously we didn’t have much momentum going into that. So I was just trying to get something going, get the runners going and he threw me a good pitch.”

It not only evened up the score, but more importantly, it gave Alexandria a shot in the arm. 

“It gave us a big old jolt,” Alexandria player/manager Peyton Smith said. “He gave us a great big boost. That’s what he’s done his whole life is have big hits. I wouldn’t expect anything else.”

Alexandria starter Tyson Gau exited after seven innings. The veteran righty scattered seven hits, struck out five batters and walked two on 99 pitches. Gau’s two runs were unearned. 

Left-hander Jed Schmidt came on relief and retired the side in the eighth inning. 

In the ninth, Tyson Gau drew a lead-off walk and stole second in the next at-bat. Jordan Gau socked a deep fly ball to left center field, scoring Tyson Gau for the go-ahead run. 

“(Grant Doom) blew the first fast ball right by me,” Jordan Gau said. “I was actually picking up his slider all right. So I kind of laid off. He’s got a lively arm. So I picked up his sliders and I knew he was going to go back to his fast ball at some point. So I just timed it up and got something to the outfield.”

The Angels later loaded the bases, but Doom worked out of the jam to limit the damage. Schmidt retired the side to earn the save and seal the win for Alexandria. Schmidt struck out four batters in two relief innings. 

Platte starter Owen London lasted the first six innings. He allowed seven hits, one earned run, struck out three and walked two on 90 pitches.  

The game was scoreless through the first four innings. Jordan Gau’s sky high two-out RBI double in the fifth broke the scoreless tie.  

In the bottom of the fifth, Platte took advantage of two Alexandria errors and Hunter Hewitt’s RBI sac fly broke a 1-1 tie. 

In the seventh, Richard Sternberg hit a pop fly and reached base on an error by second baseman Cole Wenande. Doom drove in Sternberg on a two-out RBI triple for a 3-1 advantage. 

But the Angels’ bats came alive in the final two innings to overcome the defensive miscues. 

“When we’ve won the championships in the past, we’ve always had good defense,” Peyton Smith said. “We don’t ever see that from Cole dropping a fly ball. We know we are going to have great defense behind our pitchers.” 

The Angels will play either Canova or Lennox on Thursday in the quarterfinals at Cadwell Park. 

“We are going to face a good team obviously,” Pierce Smith said. “So we are always looking forward to a night at Cadwell. We just have to get going a little earlier.”