BRANDON — The story continues for the Parkston Devil Rays.

The Devil Rays stunned the defending Class B champions, 5-3, advancing to the state quarterfinals over Dell Rapids PBR Monday.

And it wasn’t without a standout pitching performance from Parkston Legion Post 194 player Carter Sommer tossing eight complete innings, allowing just one unearned run on six hits and one walk.

“I wasn’t really worried about how long I went, I just wanted to get quick innings,” said Sommer. “I wanted to last a long time and get through as many innings as I could. Keep them off the scoreboard, doing everything right and controlling everything I can control.”

Monday’s second round win was also Sommer’s amateur baseball pitching debut, and what better way to start than facing the team to beat in Class B. The right-hander got off to a solid start tossing four straight shutout innings.

“I told myself I wouldn’t get nervous before the game but the first two innings showed I was a little nervous but after that, I felt like I couldn’t make a mistake,” Sommer said. I had guys out there behind me I had endless faith with. If the ball gets put in play, they’ll make a play.”

On the other hand, PBR’s Drew Sweeter is no stranger to state tournament baseball as the reigning tournament MVP and it showed as he followed suit with five shutout innings of his own.

PBR finally broke the scoreless tie in the fifth inning on a fielding error from Rays shortstop Dylan Soulek to score one run. One half inning later, Soulek made up for his mistake by roping a double into right-center, scoring Sommer from first base.

Parkston Devil Rays' Dylan Soulek celebrates scoring a run against Dell Rapids PBR on Monday at the Class B state amateur baseball tournament in Brandon. (Ryan Deal / 605 Sports) 

“That was huge,” Devil Ray manager Doug Sudbeck said on the RBI double from Soulek. “We sat there and go down by one run and we didn’t hang our heads. We came out and put up three runs right back at them and got the momentum going our way again.”

After a strikeout and a fielding error to put runners on the corners, Ty Neugebauer gave the Rays the lead on a two-RBI double of his own. As a young pitcher on the mound, the three-run sixth inning helped Sommer settle back in after the PBR score.

“The swing was probably good enough to win player of the game,” Sommer said of Neugebauer’s double. “There’s nothing better than knowing even if you give up a run, your guys will come back and get those runs back for you.”

Neugebauer finished batting 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs for the Rays in the win.

Parkston increased its lead in the eighth inning on an error from third baseman Chris Burke (Colman pick-up player), but in the state tournament no lead is safe, especially against the defending state champions. 

While Sommer cruised through the sixth and seventh innings, the Legion player found himself in a bases loaded, two outs situation and was nearing his 105 pitch limit.

“My goal was I needed him to finish that inning,” Doug Sudbeck said. “I didn’t want to have to bring someone in with the bases loaded. He was in a groove and I didn’t want to mess with it, let him get his pitches in and go from there.”

PBR batter Riley Calhoon hit a slow looping line drive to shallow right field that nearly fell if it wasn’t for the diving snag from second baseman Landon Sudbeck to get out of the jam, saving multiple runs from scoring.

“I was really worried because I told them I wanted the last out,” Sommer said on Landon Sudbeck’s diving catch. “He made it look pretty flashy but I had endless faith in him to get there.”

The Rays tacked on one more run on a sac-fly to score Jake Helleloid before he closed the ninth inning, allowing two runs on three hits. Helleloid struck out PBR’s Drew Sweeter on a high fastball to clinch the upset win.

“We had nothing to lose,” Sommer said. “We’re out there having fun and that’s when we play our best baseball. I had endless faith, no matter what happened.”

The win comes just days after the Rays defeated Cornbelt League champion Madison in a narrow 4-2 victory for its first-ever state tournament win. With this win, the Rays continue building momentum into Thursday’s quarterfinals.

“In my opinion, it means everything to them,” Doug Sudbeck said of the win. “They’ve been building for years, for the last couple of years. This is just more building. Another win gets everyone more excited.”

Doug Sudbeck also emphasized Sommer’s efficient pitching performance postgame. Between Sommer and Phil Johnson (Dimock/Emery pick-up player), Sudbeck used the young gun in a big spot.

“You can’t ask much more out of our Legion kid,” Doug Sudbeck said. “Carter pitched one helluva game. It gave us a chance, we needed 6-7 innings out of him and we got eight. It was awesome.”

Soulek batted 2-for-3 with an RBI and a double in the win, Seth Muth drove in a run on one hit while Sommer, Helleloid and Tanner Dyk each had a hit in the win.

PBR’s Sweeter took the loss, allowing three runs on five hits in seven innings of work, striking out four. Burke and Riley Hoffman each tallied an RBI on two hits while Sweeter added two hits in the loss.

The Devil Rays will face Milbank or Kimball/White Lake in the state quarterfinals Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at First National Bank Field at Aspen Park in Brandon.