The top two teams in the Cornbelt League, #1 Dell Rapids PBR and #2 Dell Rapids Mudcats, met for the District 4B Tournament championship in Humboldt on Saturday, August 1st. The Mudcats scored three runs in the top of the ninth to take a 6-3 win. Both teams had punched their ticket to the state tournament by reaching the championship game.
After three scoreless innings, Kason Syverson had an RBI ground ball in the top of the fourth to give the Mudcats a 2-0 lead. Riley Hoffman had an RBI single for PBR in the bottom of the fifth to make the score 2-1. Jake Goble extended the Mudcat lead to 3-1 with an RBI single in the top of the sixth. PBR put together a rally in the bottom of the eighth. Zach Puetz had an RBI single, and Jake Brandenburg followed with an RBI single to tie the game 3-3.
With two outs in the top of the ninth, the Mudcats took advantage of a PBR error. Josh Roemen launched a three-run home run to right field to put the Mudcats ahead 6-3. PBR put runners on second and third with a single and double to start the bottom of the ninth, but three straight outs ended the game.
Tad Tjaden had four hits for PBR, one of those a double. Puetz had two hits and an RBI. Hoffman had a double with an RBI. Brandenburg had a single and an RBI. Conner Spindler and Brayden Pankonen each had a hit.
Goble had two hits and an RBI for the Mudcats. Billy Stitz and Landon Ruesink each had two hits. Roemen had a home run and three RBIs. Carter Gullickson had a single, and Syverson had an RBI. Treyse Eastman pitched nine innings and allowed three earned runs on 10 hits and a walk with three strikeouts.
