In the third matchup of the year between the Dell Rapids Mudcats and Dell Rapids PBR, the Mudcats took the victory in the District 4B semifinals in Madison on Wednesday, July 30th by a score of 6-1.
Jake Goble got the scoring started for the Mudcats with a home run to left field in the top of the second for a 1-0 lead. Carter Gullickson had an RBI single in the top of the third to make the score 2-0. Austin Henry added an RBI single in the top of the fifth giving the Mudcats a 3-0 lead. They extended the lead to 4-0 in the top of the sixth after an RBI single by Treyse Eastman.
Zach Puetz put PBR on the board in the bottom of the sixth on a home run to left field to make the score 4-1. Eastman, however, would add two more runs for the Mudcats on a two-run single in the top of the seventh for a 6-1 lead.
Eastman finished with two hits and three RBIs for the Mudcats. Henry had two hits and an RBI. Goble had a home run and an RBI. Gullickson added a single with an RBI. Ty Hoglund had a double. Chad Hunt and Grant Olson also had one hit each. Reece Arbogast pitched six innings and allowed an earned run on two hits and three walks with four strikeouts to earn the win.
Puetz had two hits for PBR, including a home run, and an RBI. Riley Hoffman had the other two hits. Hoffman also pitched six innings and allowed four earned runs on eight hits and two walks with four strikeouts in a losing effort.
With the win the Mudcats advance to the District 4B championship game against Madison on Saturday, August 2nd, at 5:30 p.m. They also have qualified for the state tournament regardless of how they finish in the championship game. PBR will have two more chances to qualify for the state tournament. Their next game will be on Friday, August 1st, at 8:00 p.m. against an opponent that is yet to be determined.
