The Dell Rapids Phils reached the Region 2B championship game after defeating Madison 6-1 in the semifinals on Wednesday, July 23rd at Rickeman Field.
Drake Eastman and Tad Tjaden crossed the plate in the top of the first inning to give Dell Rapids an early 2-0 lead. Madison got on the board with an RBI single by Gavin Schneider in the bottom of the fourth to make the score 2-1. Tjaden drove home another run with an RBI ground out in the top of the fifth. Connor Hanson followed with an RBI sacrifice bunt to give the Phils a 4-1 lead. Dell Rapids added two more runs in the top of the seventh on an RBI single by Gauge Bunkers and an RBI single by Talan Millage.
Tjaden and Millage both had two hits and an RBI each. Hanson, Jackson Peppel, and Bunkers all had a single and an RBI in the game. Cole Ruesink also had a single. Tjaden pitched seven strong innings allowing an earned run on four hits and three walks with 11 strikeouts.
