SPRINGFIELD — The Lamberton Long Sox capitalized on a strong pitching performance from Eli Fest to clinch a Class C state tournament berth Friday night.

Taking on the third-seeded Springfield Tigers, the No. 4 Long Sox scored four third-inning runs and relied on their defense from there to claim a 5-3 win in the Region 2C elimination bracket.

Fest pitched the game’s first 7 â…” innings to earn the win, striking out seven batters while surrendering one earned run on five hits and three walks. After Quintyn Vold gave up a pair of earned runs over one inning, Austin Imker took the mound for a fly out and a strikeout to earn the save.

Neil Eichten and Will Carlson led off the Long Sox’s big second inning with a double and a single. Hudson Jenniges then reached on a fielder’s choice and Jake Wahl singled in a run to give Lamberton the game’s first two runs. 

The rally continued with RBI singles from Isaac Jenniges and Fest doubling Lamberton’s cushion to 4-0.

Springfield trailed 5-1 entering the final frame. Tori Helget, Madden Lendt and Kade Nachreiner each drew walks to load the bases with one out and singles from Jordan Milbrath and Decker Scheffler cut the deficit to two runs with the tying run on second. Yet, Imker came in for the save opportunity and closed out the game to seal Lamberton’s win.

Isaac Jenniges walked to lead off the fifth, advanced on a wild pitch and scored when Eichten reached base on a fielder’s choice.

Nachreiner scored Springfield’s first run in the bottom of the sixth, reaching on a walk before scoring on a Ryan Sturm fielder’s choice.

Nachreiner took the loss on the mound for the Tigers in two innings of work, allowing five hits and a walk for four runs, two earned.

Lamberton improves to 18-8 on the season with the win and will take on Leavenworth in a seeding game in Sleepy Eye today at 3 p.m. The winner of the game will enter the Class C state tournament as a No. 3 seed, while the loser will enter as a No. 4 seed.