MITCHELL — Michael Drotzmann’s second walk-off this season sent the Lesterville Broncs into the Class B state amateur baseball semifinals. 

Drotzmann’s walk-off double in the ninth inning lifted Lesterville into the Class B semifinals, eliminating perennial power Winner/Colome, 4-3, at Cadwell Park on Thursday. 

Drotzmann hit a walk-off home run earlier this season, propelling Lesterville past Wynot, Nebraska. Drotzmann’s walk-off double on Thursday delivered a semifinal berth for the Broncs.  

“Wow,” Drotzmann said. “I feel really blessed to have that opportunity, especially for the town of Lesterville. It hasn’t seen a team go this far in a long time. So it’s pretty special. I’d like to do it for the team and the town. It’s real special.”

Drotzmann’s walk-off capped off a late-game rally for the Broncs, who scored four unanswered runs in the final three innings. Winner/Colome’s Derek Graesser kept Lesterville scoreless through the first six innings. 

“We were struggling right away,” Drotzmann said. “But it was good we got on him and got some base runners and just made things happen in the end.” 

Lesterville capitalized on two Winner/Colome errors in the seventh, scoring its first run on a fielding error by Winner/Colome shortstop Reed Harter. 

Drotzmann’s RBI double broke up Graesser’s no-hitter and plated Tanner Van Driel to get within 3-2. Cameron Schiltz's RBI single evened the score at 3-3. 

The game remained scoreless until Drotzmann’s heroics in the ninth inning. Tyler Edler led off the inning with a single and Drotzmann ripped Graesser’s 2-2 pitch into right field. 

Winner/Colome right fielder Austin Calhoon just missed making the catch. Edler, who was sprinting from first base, just beat out the throw at home plate and Lesterville celebrated the walk-off win. 

“It was 2-2 and I was just trying to put something in play,” Drotzmann said. “It was off the hands and it just ended up in the right spot.” 

Graesser took the loss after allowing one earned run on five hits and struck out 11 batters through eight innings. Winner/Colome committed three errors. 

“He is a really good pitcher,” Drotzmann said. “He’s probably the best we’ve faced all year and he made it tough on us right away and we just had to stick with it and grind it out and luckily we made it work.” 

Winner/Colome out-hit Lesterville, 6-5. Graesser finished with two hits and an RBI. Drew DeMers and Reed Harter both drove in runs, while Austin Calhoon, Trevor Salmonson and Zach Harter had hits. 

Drotzmann had two hits, while Lee Heimes, Edler and Schlitz had hits. 

Up next, Lesterville will face Tabor at 5:30 p.m. Saturday in an all-South Central League semifinal contest. 

“We always play them for Czech Days and our fireworks game in Lesterville,” Drotzmann said. “So it’s really special. It’s a good team. We are going to have our hands full.”