Barnesville came from a 3-2 deficit and plated four runs in the fifth inning to take a 6-3 lead into the final two innings, but errors, walks and some timely hits allowed DL to retake the lead at 7-6.  Barnesville evened the score in the bottom of the sixth, setting up the dramatic finish.

Jackson Wahl led off the bottom of the seventh by drawing a walk.  Matt Haugrud then ripped a single into left-center and Caleb Ott battled back from an 0-2 count to induce another walk, bringing up cleanup hitter Matt Samuelson with the bases loaded.  DL brought in their ace, Cooper Hermanson, to face Samuelson, who had hit a solo homer in the fourth inning.  Samuelson deposited Hermanson’s first pitch fastball to the base of the Reed Field scoreboard, clearing the bases with a walk-off grand slam and setting off a wild celebration at home plate.

Samuelson (2-4, 2HR, 6RBI), Adrian O’Brien (2-3, 3RBI), Hunter Anderson (1-2, RBI) and Ott (1-3, RBI) led the offensive attack for the home team, with Wahl (1-2, 2BB, 3R), Blake Torfin and Travis Affield also recording hits.  Caleb Ott recorded the win in relief.  Connor Morse started the game, and along with Sam Askegaard and Noah Krause combined for 7 K’s.

Barnesville will host NCE/Ulen-Hitterdal on Tuesday, July 7 in a double header starting at 5:30pm.  Last year’s Division II state champion, DGF, will be in Barnesville for a seven inning game on Wednesday, July 8, beginning at 6:30pm.

Other league scores from Thursday night were as follows.

Pelican Rapids 10, Parkers Prairie 8
Parkers Prairie 10, Pelican Rapids 3
DGF 4, Ashby 3
DGF 13, Ashby 2
NCE/Ulen-Hitterdal 5, B-E/WCA 0
B-E/WCA 8, NCE/Ulen-Hitterdal 0