MITCHELL, S.D. — Zach Toben hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Clark Traders an 8-7 victory over the Dell Rapids Mudcats in the Class B South Dakota Amateur Baseball Tournament.
Dell Rapids tied the game 7-7 in the top of the ninth by drawing back-to-back, bases-loaded walks from relief pitchers Jack Heesch and Hudson Fuller. Fuller avoided further damage when Treyse Eastman grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the top half of the frame.
Cooper Pommer grounded out to start the bottom of the ninth before Toben drove his winning shot over the fence.
Toben led Clark at the plate, going 4-for-5 with three RBIs. Jakob Steen added two hits and two RBIs.
Watson Grantham started on the mound for Clark, allowing four runs on five hits with seven strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings. Fuller earned the win in relief.
Jake Goble led Dell Rapids, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs. He also took the loss after pitching one inning. Mudcats starter Kason Syverson surrendered five runs on six hits over 4 1/3 innings.
The Traders advance to face Hartford/Humboldt in the semifinals at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
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