MITCHELL – Groton dropped Madison 7-4 in the opening game and the Dell Rapids Mudcats beat Plankinton 14-1 in eight innings as the Class B State Amateur Baseball Tournament got underway Wednesday at Cadwell Park.
Locke Electric and the Mudcats square off in the second round Sunday at 5:30 p.m.
First-round action continues today as Tabor faces Parkston at 11 a.m., defending-champion Alexandria takes on Lesterville at 1 p.m., Volga plays Platte at 5:30 p.m. and the Renner Bullets and Lake Norden Lakers play at 7:30 p.m.
• Groton 7, Madison 4
Groton Locke Electric scored single runs in the fifth, eighth and ninth innings to secure the victory.
Carlos Camacho singled, moved to second on a groundout, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on Spencer Knecht’s sacrifice fly to put Groton on top 5-4.
With two outs in the eighth, Anthony Sippel drew a walk and Dylan Frey was hit by a pitch. Spencer Locke followed with an RBI single.
Josh Heupel (one out) and Austin Fordham (two outs) singled in the final frame and Korgin Blackmund walked. Heupel scampered home on an error to provide for the final margin.
The Broncos opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the first.
In the second, Camacho walked, Heupel was beaned and, following a passed ball, Knecht connected on his first sac fly of the evening to knot it up at 1-all.
Both teams scored three runs in the fourth, leaving the score at 4-4.
For Groton, Heupel walked, Knecht reached on an error and Edwin Rodriguez walked to load the bases. Blackmund and Sippel also walked to force in Heupel and Knecht. Dylan Frey
Frey ended up 2-for-4, Heupel 2-for-3 and Locke 2-for-4.
Fordham picked up the victory on the mound in relief, surrendering just a hit and a walk in 5 2/3 innings.
Madison’s Mitch McNary was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Matt Burpee doubled.
Tyler Tappe took the loss in relief, giving up three runs – one earned – on seven hits with eight strikeouts and two walks over the final six frames.
GROTON 7, MADISON 4
Groton 010 310 011 – 7 10 1
Madison 100 300 000 – 4 5 3
Spencer Knecht, Austin Fordham (4) and Carlos Camacho; Marcus Vandenbosch, Tyler Tappe (4) and Heith Williams. W – Fordham. L – Tappe. 2B: M, Matt Burpee.
• Dell Rapids Mudcats 14, Plankinton 1 (8 inn.)
Dalton Allen was solid on the mound and the Mudcats racked up 12 hits in the rout.
Dell Rapids opened the scoring in the third as Grant Olson singled and stole second, moved to third on Chad Hunt’s two-out hit and then scampered home on an error.
Blake Svoboda walked, stole second, moved to third on Hunt’s fielder’s choice and scored on a Jimmy Bauer sacrifice fly in the fifth. Hunt stole home to make it 3-0.
The Mudcats put it away with a five-spot in the sixth.
Mark Houck was hit by a pitch and Trevor Freudenthal singled with one away.
Olson, Dan Gacke and Hunt recorded consecutive RBI singles before Jimmy Bauer stroked a two-run double to push the margin to 8-0.
In the seventh, Houck singled and Mark Abrahamson and Freudenthal walked to load the bases. Houck scored on an error and Svoboda drove in courtesy runner Landon Ruesink with a sac fly to make it 10-0.
The Bankers extended the game with a run in the bottom of the seventh, as Cole Knippling hit a home run with one away.
Hunt walked, Bauer reached on an error and Josh Roemen singled to get the next frame underway.
Houck stroked a three-run double after than and Olson had a one-out RBI single to provide for the final margin.
Bauer also totaled three RBIs. Olson was 3-for-5 with two RBIs.
Allen gave up just one run on three hits – the HR – in seven innings. He struck out eight and walked one.
Plankinton’s Travis Gant allowed eight runs – seven earned – on six hits and three walks with a trio of Ks in 5 2/3 frames.
DELL RAPIDS MUDCATS 14, PLANKINTON BANKERS 1 (8 inn.)
Dell Rapids 001 025 24 – 14 12 0
Plankinton 000 000 10 – 1 3 4
Dalton Allen, Joshn Spaeth and Mark Abrahamson; Travis Gant, Josh Enquist (6), Alex Loes (7) and Trevor Boyd. W – Allen. L – Gant. 2B: DRM, Jimmy Mauer, Mark Houck. HR: P, Cole Knippling.
