MITCHELL, S.D. – A two-run home run from Chris Hill in the bottom of the 11th inning capped of a six-run comeback for the Plankinton Bankers as they defeat Clark, 10-8 on a hot and humid Thursday afternoon at Cadwell Park.
Hill’s HR was his third hit of the game as he took the first pitch he saw from Clark’s Zach Toben deep to right field off the Cadwell Park scoreboard.
The Bankers (19-1) trailed 7-1 going into the bottom of the 5th inning after starter Josh Engquist was pulled after just 3 2/3 innings. Engquist’s curveball was as sharp as usual and he gave up seven runs on seven hits on 78 pitches.
Travis Gant would come in from from second base and pitch the final 7 1/3 innings to shut down the Trader offense and pick up the victory. Gant gave up just one unearned run and six hits to go along with six strikeouts.
The Plankinton comeback would start in the 5th with a three-run HR from 1B Cole Knippling to make it 7-5. The Bankers would get within one in the 6th with a Travis Gant single to center, scoring Engquist from second.
Clark would add a run in the top of the 8th when Grayson Florey hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Rhett Florey from third to make it 8-6.
Plankinton would answer in the bottom half of the 8th to tie the game at eight on a two-run, two out double from Hill.
Clark had plenty of chances to put the game away as they left 14 runners on base, including leaving the bases loaded in the 3rd and 4th innings, despite also scoring five runs combined in the 3rd and 4th.
The Bankers will now play Menno at 8 p.m. on Sunday night in second round action. Menno advanced with a 10-8 win over Redfield Dairy Queen earlier in the afternoon.