By Ryan Deal 

605 Sports

Platte, which committed four errors and trailed 5-0 after four innings, started the ninth inning down 7-3. Hartford/Humboldt, this year’s Cinderella story, nearly closed out Platte in the ninth.

With one out, Parkston Mudcat pick-up player Jeff Harris hit a ground ball to second baseman Nathan Adrian, who committed an error fielding the ball. 

After Richard Sternberg walked to load the bases, Michael Buitenbos plated Grant Doom and Harris with a single into left field. 

“He’s been putting the ball in play,” Strand said about Buitenbos. “Just go up and get a hit. It was a great effort by everybody. You don’t want to leave early with us because it’s not over until it’s over.”

Platte’s Sheldon Gant evened the score at 7-7, driving in Sternberg from third base on an RBI single into right field. Buitenbos, who was advancing from second, was out at home plate for the second out. 

That set the stage for Townsend, who was 1-for-3 entering the final at-bat. In the eighth pitch of the at-bat, Townsend ripped a single down the right field line. 

It scored Seth Muth, a Parkston Devil Ray pick-up player, for the game-winning run as Platte survived and advanced to the Class B semifinals. 

“The guys are gritty,” Townsend said. “This team is a gritty team. They like to work for what they’ve got. I think if we just keep doing that, gritting away, I think we are going to have a good shot.”

Hartford/Humboldt starter Logan Larsen kept Platte’s bats in check early on. Larsen finished with seven strikeouts, allowed seven hits, six earned runs and walked seven batters through 8.1 innings pitched. 

Larsen received some early run support, with the Wood Ducks scoring two runs in the first, one in the third frame and four in the fourth inning. 

Hartford/Humboldt went ahead 7-1 in the seventh inning, but that’s when Platte began its comeback. In the eighth inning, Muth and Gant drove in a pair of runs to get within 7-3. 

“It took us a while to get the bats going,” Townsend said. “But guys worked some at-bats. They got on base and they just got some hits at the right times.”

In the bottom of the ninth, Platte got within 7-6 on Buitenbos’ hit. That’s when Larsen was relieved for Preston Riddle, who gave up the final two runs. 

“You better stick around for all nine innings,” Strand said. “Sixth inning scratched and seven scratched. Let’s double it up. We doubled it up with two and we doubled it up with four. Unbelievable.”

Up next, Platte will play Dimock-Emery at 5:30 p.m. Saturday in the Class B semifinals. It will be the rubber match between the Sunshine League foes this season. Platte won 8-6 on June 6, while Dimock-Emery won 8-3 on July 14. 

“Dimock is going to be a tough battle,” Strand said. “We will go at them and see what we can do. They are going to be ready for us. So we have to get ready for them.”

And Strand is ready for another big crowd at Cadwell Park, with both teams nearby Mitchell and both with strong fanbases.  

“It’s going to be a big crowd,” Strand said. “It’s another reason why we host it in Mitchell all the time, where it needs to be at. Obviously it was a pretty packed house tonight. Saturday is going to be another one.”