BRANDON – The Castlewood Ravens edged the Platte Killer Tomatoes 4-3 Friday night to reach the semifinals of the State B Amateur Baseball Tournament

The Ravens trailed just briefly and then held on late to record the victory.

Leadoff batter Gus Steiger tripled to start the bottom of the first, and then scored on Alex Gauer’s single in the next at-bat.

Platte tied the score in the third and then jumped in front with a run in the top of the sixth inning. However, Castlewood responded in the bottom half of the frame on Adam Ching’s sacrifice fly to knot the score at 2-2.

The Ravens then regained the lead in the bottom of the seventh, scoring on an error and an RBI triple by Blayne Schliesman. Castlewood could have scored even more, but bunted into a double play trying to bring in a runner from third.

Platte threatened in the top of the ninth, closing to within a run and having a runner on third base before Gauer finished off the complete game on the mound by forcing a ground out to end the contest.

Gauer finished with 135 pitches thrown and nine strikeouts. Steiger and Nate Phinney each had two hits.

Castlewood with face the Humboldt-Hartford Gamecocks in the semifinals at 7:30 tonight. The other semifinal has the Parkston Rays against the Alexandria Angels.

Platte Killer Tomatoes 001 001 001 – 3 5 5

Castlewood Ravens 100 001 20x – 4 8 0

Michael Buitenbos, R. Sternberg (7) and Hunter Hewitt; Alex Gauer and Blayne Schliesman. 2B – Platte Killer Tomatoes, C. Knippling, M. Link; Castlewood Ravens, Schliesman, Gus Steiger.