MITCHELL — Lesterville won the rubber match with league rival Tabor and will now play in the state amateur baseball championship. 

The Broncs rallied the Bluebirds, 3-2, in the Class B state amateur baseball semifinals and will play in their first state championship game since 1950. Lesterville will play Canova or Dell Rapids PBR for the Class B state championship Sunday at Cadwell Park. 

“It feels awesome, especially for the community and you could see our fans here,” Lesterville shortstop Tyler Edler said. “It means just as much to them as it does to us. It’s special.”

On Saturday, the Broncs and Bluebirds locked horns for the third time this season. The South Central League foes split their regular season meetings, but Lesterville won the ultimate rubber match on Saturday.

“I expected a dog fight the whole way,” Lesterville designated hitter Brandon Nickolite said. “They are a team that doesn’t give up ever.” 

The Broncs, who were held scoreless through the first seven innings, benefitted from the 105-pitch count rule for American Legion players. Tabor starter Riley Rothschadl threw 7.2 innings, struck out 12 batters and allowed five hits. 

“He’s a great young pitcher,” Nickolite said. “It was just a grind. We tried to get his pitch count up, but he was dominant and he was great.” 

Rothschadl, a future Augustana University player, exited in the seventh inning with two outs and a runner on first base. It spelled the beginning of the end for Tabor. 

“There’s a reason he does what he does on the mound and luckily we got the 105-pitch rule,” Edler said. “He came out at kind of an ideal time and we pushed some runs across, but tip of a cap to him though. He played a helluva game.”

Tabor’s Chase Kortan came on in relief for Rothschadl, who was moved to shortstop. Rothschadl was charged with a fielding error and Tabor put two runners on base. Nickolite took advantage of the error, ripping a two-out single into left field and Tabor evened it at 2-2. 

“I have faced Chase a few times,” Nickolite said. “I knew he was going to be around the zone and I was looking for a first-pitch strike and I just ended up getting it and finding the hole.” 

After Tabor went down in order, Edler delivered an insurance run for the Broncs. Edler knocked a two-out single into center field, scoring Lee Heimes for the go-ahead score. 

“I got the first pitch to hit and it wasn’t going to let it go,” Edler said. “I knew if I could get a ball to the outfield, (Heimes) was going to have a chance to score.”

In the bottom of the ninth, Tabor put two runners on base and narrowly walked off its league rival. With two outs, Rothschadl walked and Nolan Carda moved him to second with a single. 

Kortan smacked a 1-0 ball down the left field line and the Bluebirds celebrated as both runners scored.

The umpires, however, called it a foul ball. 

“I peaked in and I seen both umpires with their arms up going that way (foul),” Edler said. “I had no angle on it, but they seemed pretty sure it was foul. So I will just leave it at that.” 

Kortan struck out looking for the final out and Lesterville celebrated the championship berth. Lesterville’s Derek Quame pitched a complete-game performance, finishing with nine strikeouts, two earned runs on 10 hits and walked two batters on 122 pitches. 

The Broncs will now turn their attention to the state championship. 

“I am stoked,” Nickolite said. “I expect the crowd to be here and our community to be here. It’s going to be awesome.”