Alexandria, Lennox advance to Class B Quarterfinals

MITCHELL – Alexandria and Lennox advanced in the Class B State Amateur Baseball Tournament on Monday night. Alexandria won a thriller against Platte and Lennox had a walk-off victory over Canova.
Alexandria and Lennox will play in the quarterfinals on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

• Alexandria 4, Platte 3
The Angels broke a 3-3 tie in the top of the ninth and then shutdown the Killer Tomatoes in the bottom of the inning and advanced.
Alexandria scored the first run of the game in the top of the fifth. Tyson Gau hit a one-out single and the Jordan Gau followed with a double to give the Angels a 1-0 lead.
Platte immediately took its first lead of the game in the bottom of the inning. Derek Soukup reached on an error to begin the inning and then scored on an error two batters later. Hunter Hewitt then hit Michael Buitenbos home on a sacrifice fly and the Killer Tomatoes led 2-1 through five innings.
The Killer Tomatoes then extended their lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh. Richard Stenberg reached on an error with one out and then scored on a triple from Grant Doom.
Alexandria was able to then tie the game with one swing of the bat in the top of the eighth. Jacob Giles drew a one-out walk and Pierce Smith then sent a ball over the left field fence to make it 3-3.

Platte went down one-two-three in the bottom of the eighth before the Angels took the lead in the top of the ninth. Tyson Gau led off the top of the ninth with a walk and was then sent home on a double from Jordan Gau.
The Killer Tomatoes went down one-two-three once again in the top of the ninth and the Angels moved on.
Smith was 1-for-5 with two RBIs and Jordan Gau was 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Tyson Gau and Giles each went 2-for-3. Doom was 1-for-3 with an RBI for the Killer Tomatoes.
Tyson Gau started the game for Alexandria and pitched seven innings. He gave up three unearned runs on six hits, with five strikeouts and two walks. Jed Schmidt pitched the final two innings and did not give up a hit and had four strikeouts.
Owen London pitched the first eight innings for Platte, giving up four earned runs on 10 hits, with five strikeouts and four walks. Doom pitched one inning and gave up no runs on one hit, with three strikeouts and two walks.

• Lennox 6, Canova 5
Lennox scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth and came away with a walk-off win. Canova scored two runs in the top of the ninth to take the lead.
Riley Hoffman reached on an error to lead off the inning and cam Wulf followed with a walk. Hoffman then scored on an error and Corey Vasquesz hit a two-run single to send Lennox to the quarterfinals.
Canova got on the board right away in the top of the first. Jared Miller came to the plate with two outs and then hit one over the right field wall to put Canova up 1-0.
Canova then extended its lead to 3-0 in the top of the third. Cole Gassman reached on an error to begin the inning and then came home on a single from Jared Miller. Jared Miller then scored on a Derek Miller single to make it 3-0.
Lennox scored its first run of the game in the bottom of the third. Peyton Eich singled to lead off the inning and then scored on a two-out double from Walker Hultgren double, making it 3-1 through three innings.
Neither team scored again until Lennox tied the game in the bottom of the seventh. Kyle Braun hit a lead-off double and Riley Hoffman followed with a single. Cam Wulf then grounded into a double play, but Braun was able to score. Eich then hit a double and then scored on an error to make it 3-3 heading into the eighth.
Kendall Gassman would lead off the top of the ninth with a walk for Canova. Tim Gassman then hit a one-out single and Cole Gassman hit both runners home with a double to make it 5-3 before Lennox rallied in the bottom of the inning.
Vasquez was 1-for-5 with two RBIs and Hultgren was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Drew Sweeter was 1-for-5 with an RBI and Eich was 2-for-3. Hoffman went 2-for-4.
Jared Miller went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Cole Gassman went 1-for-4 with two RBIs. Derek Miller was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Sweeter pitched a complete game for Lennox. He gave up five runs, three earned, on seven hits, with eight strikeouts and five walks. Trey Krier got the start for Canova and gave up three runs, two earned, on 10 hits, with three strikeouts and no walks. Justin Miller pitched the ninth inning and gave up three unearned runs on one hit, with one walk and no strikeouts.