MINOT, N.D. (Newsdakota.com) – LaMoure and Kidder County both won nail-biting semifinal games Saturday evening at the 2020 Class B Independent State Tournament.

Here’s how both teams punched their tickets to the state championship.

LaMoure 7, Renville County 5

It appeared LaMoure would cruise to an easy victory after leading 7-2 heading into the 7th inning, but the Renville County (RC) Muskrats pushed LaMoure to the brink getting the tying and winning runs on base.

Prior to the 7th, LaMoure and RC exchanged two-run frames in the early portion of the game. Landon Piehl slashed a two-run single in the first and RC got two runs back in the 3rd thanks to a couple of errors.

Piehl knocked in another run in the 5th to give LaMoure a one run lead. Then in the 6th inning, it was an avalanche of insurance runs in the 6th inning. LaMoure scored four times from an Alex Klever two-run single, Corban Potts RBI single and a run scoring ground out from Mac Bierman.

A five run lead was surely enough for starting pitcher Jace Hanson. Prior to the 7th, he surrendered just two unearned runs on three hits and a pair of walks.

But the 7th didn’t come as easily to Hanson.

Five of the first six batters reached and then an error made it six of the first seven guys. Three runs scored to cut the deficit to just two. The tying run was at second and, as improbable as it seemed, the go-ahead run was at first. With pressure in his face, Hanson got the next two batters to fly and ground out to escape with a 7-5 victory.

Kidder County 6, Langdon 3

Kidder County stranded eight runners on base through the first five innings. With so many scoring chances, it looked bleak for Kidder County trying to dig their way out of a 3-0 hole.

But they did.

It was 3-0 after the top of the 6th inning when Brennan Kitchen made Kidder County pay for intentionally walking the batter in front of him. With the bases loaded, Kitchen lined a two-run single into left.

That two-run single was apparently the spark needed to lite a fire underneath the Kidder County lineup. Five straight batters reached to begin the inning. Gage Pfaff and Jacob Nolan came through with back-to-back RBI knocks to make it 3-2, and then with the bases loaded, the wheels came off for Langdon when catcher Carter Tetrault was called for a catcher’s interference that plated the tying run. A different error broke the tie and Kidder County led for the first time Saturday night.

Kidder starting pitcher Ty Biesterfield pitched a heck of a game. In poetic fashion, he delivered an RBI single to make it 6-3 after six innings. Biesterfield went out to begin the 7th inning, recorded a couple outs and surrendered a base runner. He was at 135 pitches for the tournament, so he fell one out shy of a complete game win.

But, again, in poetic fashion, Biesterfield moved to center field and record the final out of the game.

LaMoure will take on Kidder County for the State Championship at 8:00 Sunday evening. Coverage can be heard on KDDR AM1220 95.9FM and Thunder Country 98.3.