Post 25 beats hosts to remain alive

MILBANK, S.D. -- Fort Scott American Legion Post 25 lives to play another day at the Central Plains Tournament here despite a run-rule loss Friday afternoon.

Fort Scott was pounded by Plato, Minn., Post 641 by a 14-4 score in six innings in an afternoon winner's bracket semifinal. But Post 25 avoided elimination with an 8-2 win over host Milbank Post 9 in the evening.

Fort Scott plays another elimination game today at 3:30 p.m. If Post 25 wins that one, it's assured of playing at least one more game.

The day began with two elimination games. Las Vegas Titans Silver remained alive with a 9-7 win over Madison, S.D. and Milbank eliminated St. James, Minn., 6-1.

In the other winner's bracket semifinal, Waupan, Wis., Post 210 took a 5-0 victory over Wahpeton, N.D., Post 20.

In the final game of the night Friday, Las Vegas eliminated Wahpeton, 7-4.

Plato and Waupun will face each other in Saturday's first game, the winner's bracket final. If Waupan wins and Wahpeton is still alive at that point, the schedule may be changed to avoid rematches as much as possible. So at this time, it's not certain when Fort Scott's next game will take place.

Plato 14, Fort Scott 4.

Plato led 4-0 after three innings but Fort Scott rallied in the top of the fourth to get within a run.

Mason Knopp singled with one out. Then Carter Young singled to right. Both runners moved up on a passed ball. Then Wyatt Rheel walked to load the bases.

Knopp scored on a passed ball. Jarret Lyon singled to right to score Young. Smith hit a 2-out single to bring Reehl home.

But Plato, which scored in each of the six innings played, scored 3 in the bottom of the fourth, then added 2 in the fifth.

Fort Scott scored once in the top of the sixth to cut the deficit to 9-4. Plato ended it with 5 runs in the bottom of the inning.

Fort Scott 8, Milbank 2.

Fort Scott's defense backed a pair of gritty pitchers by committing only one error as Milbank stranded 12 runners in the contest.

Reehl was the winning pitcher, allowing 2 runs on 2 hits and striking out 9. The strikeouts and his defense were enough to cancel out 9 walks and a hit batter.

Young went to the mound in the top of the sixth after Reehl threw 128 pitches. He struck out the side in the top of the sixth but got in a bit of trouble in the bottom of the seventh.

Young hit leadoff batter Landon Hammer, walked Ryan Hepper and plunked Brady Gomer, loading the bases with nobody out. But Young struck out Justin Ackerman for the first out of the inning and got Riley Van Sambeek to ground into a game-ending 6-4-3 double play.

Young didn't allow a hit and struck out 4 batters.

Post 25 scored first in the first as Kaleb DeLaTorre hit a 2-out solo home run that hit the scoreboard.

Milbank took the lead in the bottom of the first. Sean Zimney led off with a single. Taylor Boerger walked with one out and Hammer got on by a fielder's choice that saw Zimney out at third.

Hepper singled to right to bring in Boerger and Hammer scored on a wild pitch. Gomer drew a walk but designated hitter Dominic Berger grounded out to end the inning.

Post 25 scored 6 runs in the top of the third to take the lead for good, just after Milbank ledt the bases loaded in the bottom of the second. Things started with Jake Bradbury's leadoff single. Then Chase Brown reached on an error. DeLaTorre followed with another single, which loaded the bases.

Knopp singled to center to drive Bradbury and Brown home. DeLaTorre scored on a wild pitch and Reehl followed with a one-out single to plate Knopp.

Alex Fink drew a walk. Then Drew Martin reached on an error which allowed Reehl and Fink to score, making it 7-2.

Bradbury drove Fink home with a 2-out fifth-inning single to make it 8-2.

Bradbury and DeLaTorre each went 2 for 3 at the plate for Fort Scott while Knopp was 2 for 4.

CORRECTION -- Jacob Durossette was credited with a play at shortstop in Friday's summary by mistake. The play was actually made by DeLaTorre at that position in the bottom of the seventh inning against Las Vegas. The Tribune regrets the error....

NOTES -- The following radio stations are carrying their local team's games and have websites where the broadcasts can be found:

* KDUZ, Hutchinson, Minn., is carrying Plato's games. The "listen live" link can be found in the upper-right hand corner of the home page at www.kduz.com.

* WFDL Radio in Waupun is streaming all of Post 210's games in the tournament at am1170radio.com. A downloadable bracket with names of the states each team represents can also be found on WFDL's website, listed as a "national tournament" schedule.

* KBMW Radio in Wahpeton is also streaming games at kbmwam.com....

* If a game is not available via streaming, the tournament's Twitter account is also providing updates at the username @LegionDivision2....

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at Milbank, S.D.

Thursday's Games

Game 1: Fort Scott 10, Las Vegas, Nev. 7, 8 innings

Game 2: Waupun, Wis. 8, St. James, Minn. 2

Game 3: Plato, Minn. 4, Madison, S.D. 1

Game 4: Wahpeton, N.D. 11, Milbank, S.D. 1

Friday's Games

Game 5: Las Vegas 9, Madison, S.D. 7 (Madison eliminated)

Game 6: Milbank, S.D. 6, St. James, Minn. 1 (St. James eliminated)

Game 7: Plato, Minn. 14, Fort Scott 4

Game 8: Waupun, Wis. 5, Wahpeton, N.D. 0

Game 9: Fort Scott 8, Milbank, S.D. 2 (Milbank eliminated)

Game 10: Las Vegas 7, Wahpeton, N.D., 4 (Wahpeton eliminated)

Saturday's Games

Game 11: Plato, Minn. vs. Waupun, Wis., 1 p.m. (Winner's bracket final)

Game 12: TBA vs. Loser Game 11, 3:30 (Loser eliminated)

Game 13: TBA vs. Winner Game 11, 6 p.m.

Notes: 1) Pairings for Games 12 and 13 will not match opponents who have already faced each other. Matchups for games 12 and 13 will depend on the outcome of Game 11. 2) It is possible for three teams with one loss to remain after Game 13. 3) If three teams remain, the winner of Game 11 will automatically advance to Game 14.

Sunday's Games

Game 14: Winner Game 12 vs. Winner Game 11 or Game 13, Noon.

Game 15: Winner Game 14 vs. Winner Game 11, if necessary, 3 p.m.