HEARTBREAKER – DELLS DROPS SOX IN STUNNER

Freeman held a 10-5 lead and was just three outs away from securing a spot in the Class B State Amateur Baseball Tournament semifinals when the Dell Rapids Mudcats mounted a furious rally, scoring five runs in the ninth to tie the game and then adding five more in the tenth to steal a wild 15-10 win.

Facing Avery Mellman in relief of starter Jackson Fiegen, the Mudcats started the rally with a pair of singles followed by a three-run home run that cut the lead to 10-8. A pair of walks followed, but Freeman recorded two outs to close in the win, but another single made it 10-9, and then Dell Rapids tied the game on a passed ball.

The Blacksox had a chance to win it in the bottom of the ninth with the top of their lineup at bat, but Rocky Ammann, Jake Weier and Mellman were all retired, and the Mudcats piled on five more runs in the top of the 10th to put away a game that ended around 12:30 a.m.

Dell Rapids faces Hartford-Humboldt Friday night.

The state semifinals will be played on Saturday with the championship set for 2 p.m. Sunday.

EARLIER

Freeman’s amateur team will look to advance to the quarterfinal round of the Class B State Amateur Baseball when it returns to action tonight, Thursday, Aug. 14 at Brandon. The Blacksox (9-8) will take on the Dell Rapids Mudcats (14-9) in a game scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. Freeman will be the home team.

The winner of the Blacksox/Mudcats game will face the winner of the game between Hartford-Humboldt and Tabor Friday at 7:30 p.m. The loser is eliminated.

Freeman advance to the second round of the state tournament by defeating Burke 19-4 on Sunday while Dell Rapids advanced with a a 7-2 win over Winner/Colome, also on Sunday.