HUTCHINSON — Adam Puder capped off a stellar game by scoring the game-winning run on a walkoff wild pitch to lead Champlin Park to a 4-3 victory over Dundas Friday, Aug. 29 in the Class A State Tournament Quarterfinals in Hutchinson.
Puder finished the game 4-for-5, and was named “Player of the Game.” Through eight innings it appeared his teammate Jerry Gooley might be the recipient, as Gooley held the Dukes to just one run through eight innings and held a 3-1 lead heading into the final frame
However, the Dukes weren’t done. After a strikeout and a walk to Landon Boisen, Gooley was lifted for relief pitcher Trent Palmer. Palmer walked Ryan Cahoon, and Carson Jones followed by smacking a 3-2 fastball into left center for a double, scoring Boisen. The throw from the outfield scooted past the third baseman, and Cahoon scampered home with the game-tying run.
After Palmer got a popup and strikeout to end the inning, it appeared momentum might be on the side of the Dukes. But Puder had a different idea.
Puder opened the inning with an infield single to the hole at short. After Tyler Reichenborn bunted him over to second, Puder took third on a wild pitch by Sawyer Hoffman, and two pitches later scored the game-winning run on another wild pitch.
While he did not factor in the decision, Gooley pitched well for the LoGators, going 8 1/3 and giving up two runs on eight hits and three walks, striking out 10.
Ryan Bell started on the mound for Dundas, going four innings and giving up three runs on five hits and four walks, with four strikeouts. Those three runs came in the first inning, as Champlin Park jumped on Bell early, getting RBI singles by Logan Jordan and Sam Riola and an RBI double by Adam Puder.
Dundas got one back in the top of the fifth with four singles, but left the bases loaded. Hits in the inning came from Hayden Lanoue, Boisen, Jones and Joey Winters.
Champlin Park threatened in the bottom half, as their first two runners reached base on walks from Bell, but Sawyer Hoffman came on in relief and escaped with the bases loaded. Hoffman went 4 1/3 innings, giving up one run on five hits and four walks, striking out two.
Dundas loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the seventh, but Gooley escaped unscathed as Kyle Hrncir lined out to right.
Jones was the only player with more than one hit for Dundas, collecting two singles and a double and driving in two runs. Adam Puder was the only player with more than one hit for Champlin Park, who outhit Dundas 10-9.
The LoGators will play the winner of Chaska and North St. Paul Saturday at 4 p.m. at Gaylord.
