O’Gorman 5, Rapid City Stevens 4

SIOUX FALLS — The Class A player of the year Hunter Den Boer drove in three runs as the Knights advanced to Saturday’s semifinals in a one-run thriller.

O’Gorman got off to a hot start in this one, knocking three consecutive base hits in the home half of the first, including a 2-RBI double by Sully Schlimgen. Den Boer followed that up with a groundout that scored Schlimgen. 

Stevens would tie things up in the top of the third, using back-to-back two-out singles that plated three runs.

In the home half of the third, O’Gorman responded with a Trenton Fischer walk, a Charlie Hueners double, and a Den Boer double that tacked on two runs.

The Raiders came back with a run of their own, taking advantage of an overthrow by Schlimgen back to the pitcher, allowing Will Waddel to steal home.

In a one run ball game with three innings to play on a windy afternoon at Sioux Falls Stadium, the game became stagnant. 

The final six frames of play saw a total of three batters reach base with walks, with Sioux Falls O’Gorman recording the final three outs to take home the win.

O’Gorman had just five hits in the victory, two coming from Hueners, and one each from Fischer, Schlimgen, and Den Boer.

Den Boer led the team in RBIs with three, while Schlimgen drove in the other two runs.

Pitcher Jake Wheeler earned the victory on the mound for O’Gorman, surrendering seven hits, two walks, and four runs while striking out four in six innings pitched. Hueners closed out the game and earned the save in the final frame, forcing three consecutive groundouts.

For Stevens, Jackson Dial and Mason Brooks each had two hits to lead the Raiders in hits. Teagan Smith went 1-for-3 with a 2-RBI single in the third.Paxton Fisher went 1-for-2 with a walk  and an RBI.

Dial took the loss on the mound, the right–hander gave up five hits, three walks, and five runs while striking out six in six innings pitched.

Stevens also committed three errors in the loss.

Harrisburg 7, Yankton 1

SIOUX FALLS — Harrisburg’s Maddox Plack strikes out 13 batters as the top-ranked Tigers advance to Saturday’s semifinal round.

Plack allowed just two hits, three walks, and one earned run in 6.1 innings pitched, throwing 5.2 innings of no-hit baseball.

Harrisburg was able to build a 7-0 lead through the first six innings, tallying 11 total hits.

An attempted seventh inning rally was sparked by a one-out double from first baseman Easton Feser that ended Plack’s day on the mound.

Ty Raymond came in attempting to secure the victory,  but the Bucks stayed patient at the plate, drawing three consecutive walks that scored their only run. Just needing two outs to secure the win, Harrisburg didn’t take any chances and put Kason Syverson on the mound, forcing a ground-out and a popup to end the game.

The Tigers offense saw three batters finish with multi-hit days, designated hitter Jack Riley went 3-for-4 on the game, Maddux Scherer went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, and Noah Boschee added another two hits including an RBI-double.

Eli Kokenge also connected on a double that drove in two runs, while Carter Gronseth added an RBI single as well.

For Yankton, three pitchers saw the mound in the loss, starting with Samuel Gokie allowing four hits, three walks, and three earned runs in two innings pitched. Mark Kathol took the loss for the Bucks, surrendering six hits, and three runs over 3.1 innings. Kael Garry was last to throw for the Bucks, giving up a hit and a run over the final two outs of the sixth.

Lucas Kampshoff reached base on all three plate-appearances in the loss, going 1-for-1 with two walks. Feser batted 1-for-3 with a double, and four other batters drew walks in the loss.