SLEEPY EYE — The sixth-seeded Madelia Blackhawks surprised another Section 2A favorite on Friday with a an 8-3 win over second-seeded Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s in the Section 2A Baseball Tournament.

Madelia shut out third-seeded Sleepy Eye 7-0 on Tuesday and carried that success into Friday’s winner’s bracket game against the Knights. Madelia will now play top-seeded Springfield in the semifinals at 11 a.m. Saturday in Mankato at ISG Field.

The Knights fall to the elimination bracket and will take on fourth-seeded New Ulm Cathedral in elimination play at 1 p.m. Saturday at ISG Field. The winner of that game will move on to another elimination game at 5 p.m. Thursday at ISG Field against the winner of Saturday’s 3 p.m. game between Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman and Mankato Loyola. The winner of that 5 p.m. Thursday game will play the loser of Saturday’s semifinals game later Thursday night.

St. Mary’s led 2-1 before the Blackhawks got three hits for four runs in the fifth to take a 5-2 lead. The Knights got a run back in the sixth, but the Blackhawks scored three more times in the seventh on three hits and an error to pad their lead.

Noel Davilla led the Madelia bats in the win Friday with a 2-for-4 day that included a two-run homer and two runs scored. Tony Zaleski also was 2 for 4 with an RBI, while Eric Anderson was 1 for 3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Zach Jacobs got the complete-game victory on the mound, allowing six hits and five walks for three earned runs while striking out four.

Jon Petermann led the Knights, going 2 for 4 with an RBI, while Kessler Severson doubled and drove in a run. Mark Anderson took the loss in five innings, allowing four hits and four walks for five earned runs while striking out six. Tyler Mathiowetz pitched the final two innings and allowed three hits for one earned run while striking out two.