One year removed from a Region 2C Amateur Baseball Tournament win over the Springfield Tigers in 14 innings, the Longhorns did it again in 14 innings on Friday with a 10-8 win at Johnson Park to punch their ticket to state for the third year in a row.

David Surprenant’s two-run bloop single to left-center scored Nick Labat and Adam Sellner to put the Longhorns in front 10-8 in the top of the 14th. In the bottom of the 14th, reliever Dylan Klein slammed the door with a 1-2-3 inning to give the Longhorns the third and final spot in the Class C state tournament from Region 2C.

Springfield’s season comes to a close with the loss, while Stark will battle Courtland at 1 p.m. Saturday in Springfield. The winner of that game will play the New Ulm Brewers at 4 p.m. Saturday for the Region 2C title.

Klein entered in the 12th inning and ended up striking out six for the win. Sellner got the start and went five innings for Stark, while Zach Haala pitched six innings in relief and fanned six.

Staff photo by Travis Rosenau Stark’s Adam Sellner slides into home safely as Springfield catcher Carter Erickson lunges for the ball Friday night during a Region 2C Amateur Baseball Tournament elimination game at Johnson Park.

Springfield sent Jordan Milbrath to the mound for the start, with Milbrath going five innings and fanning three before being relieved by Jakob Nachreiner. Nachreiner pitched three innings and struck out two before Jacob Haugo pitched three and struck out four. Brandon Wilhelmi pitched the final three innings and took the loss, striking out two.

Surprenant ended up going 2 for 2 at the plate for Stark with a pair of singles and three walks drawn. Haala also had a pair of hits for Stark, while Mason Cox singled in Stark’s first run in the first inning and doubled in the fifth.

For the Tigers, Decker Scheffler was 2 for 4 with an RBI triple in the first and a solo home run to right-center in the third. He was also walked intentionally twice and drew a walk in the 13th. Ryan Sturm was 2 for 6 with a double and an RBI also for the Tigers, while Nachreiner was 2 for 7.

Last year, Stark earned a 3-2 win in 14 innings over Springfield in an elimination game in Sleepy Eye, sending the Longhorns on to an elimination game with Lamberton the next day. The Longhorns won that game and earned a trip to the state tournament in the process.

Friday night at Johnson Park, the Tigers had a chance to get payback but once again suffered the same fate as last year with a trip to state on the line this time around.

Springfield committed four errors in the game Friday, while Stark had three errors. The Tigers outhit the Longhorns 12-8 and their relievers held Stark hitless for seven innings in a row until the 14th and final inning.