Spearfish, South Dakota - In a back and forth contest that lasted three hours and fifty-five minutes, the Spearfish Sasquatch defeated The Fremont Moo, 10-9, in ten innings, Saturday night at Black Hills Energy Stadium. Sunday will determine if Fremont will advance to the ILB Championship Series, or if their season will come to a close.

The Sasquatch took an early lead in the bottom of the first. Against Fremont starter Hayden Kelberlau, Seth Nelson led off the inning with a walk. Then, Ben Green and Kyle Phin followed with walks as well, to load the bases. The next batter, Ryan Bachman, hit a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Nelson, to make it 1-0. Then, Javier Marcial walked to load the bases, again. The next batter, Micah Coleman, was hit by a pitch, scoring Green, to make it 2-0. A wild pitch brought home Kyle Phin, making it a 3-0 Spearfish lead. Two batters later, Matthew Gonzalez reached on an error, scoring Marcial and Coleman, and the Sasquatch plated five runs in the bottom of the first inning.

The Moo battled back in the top of the fourth. Parker Mooney led off the inning against Spearfish starter Luis De Los Santos by reaching on a throwing error and advancing to second, on a second throwing error. Miles Meadows reached on a bunt single. An errant pickoff attempt moved Meadows to second, while Mooney scored, making it 5-1. Spearfish went to the bullpen and brought in Jackson Peters, who recorded the first two outs of the inning. Then, Josh Blount singled, scoring Meadows, to make it 5-2. Jack Torosian singled and Cooper Fuchino did the same. An error plated Torosian to make it 5-3. Carter Sintek would single as a pair of runs came across and Fremont tied the game at 5-5 midway through the fourth. 

The Moo captured its first lead of the night in the top of the fifth. Parker Mooney led off with a walk. Then, Miles Meadows singled and stole second. Two batters later, Kayden Anderson walked. A wild pitch scored Mooney to make it 6-5, Fremont. Two batters later, Jack Torosian drew a walk. Then, Cooper Fuchino hit an rbi single, plating Meadows, to make it a 7-5 Fremont lead.

The Sasquatch recaptured the lead in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Lane Seim singled, which was the first hit off Moo starter Hayden Kelberlau. The Moo had to make a pitching change as Kelberlau exceeded the pitch count limit. Connor Petersen entered the game. Ben Green singled. Two batters later, Ryan Bachman walked. Then, Javier Marcial hit a three-rbi triple, to put Spearfish in front, 8-7.

In the top of the seventh, Fremont recaptured the lead. With one out, facing Spearfish reliever Julio Romero, Kayden Anderson singled. Two batters later, Jack Torosian walked. A double steal put runners at second and third. Then, Cooper Fuchino hit a two-rbi single, scoring Anderson and Torosian, and Fremont led 9-8.

Spearfish tied the game in the bottom of the eighth. Facing Fremont reliever Tyler Dunham, Jordan Boman tripled. Two batters later, Javier Marcial drew a walk. Then, Micah Coleman hit a ground ball to short. Fremont attempted to turn a double-play, however, Coleman beat the relay throw to first and pinch runner Patrick Rakes scored, to tie the game at 9-9.

Neither team scored in the ninth, forcing extra innings. In the top of the tenth, Fremont was held scoreless.

In the bottom of the tenth, with Lane Seim as the placed runner at second, Fremont reliever Brandt Phillips intentionally walked Ben Green. Phillips got pinch hitter Chase Scott to fly out to right, for the first out. Then, Phillips hit Ryan Bachman with a pitch, to load the bases. The next batter, Javier Marcial, hit a Phillips 1-2 pitch into left field, scoring Seim, to give Spearfish the 10-9 extra innings victory.

Spearfish (30-19, 16-8) scored ten runs off five hits and committed five errors. Fremont (32-19, 19-8) had nine runs off fourteen hits and had two errors.

Sasquatch starter Luis De Los Santos pitched 3.0 innings, giving up two unearned runs off four hits and walked two. Jackson Peters pitched 2.0 innings, giving up four earned runs off six hits, struck out two, walked three and had two wild pitches. Julio Romero pitched 2.0 innings, giving up two runs off two hits, struck out two and walked one. Jonathan Neal (2-1) earned the win. He pitched 3.0 innings, giving up no runs off two hits and struck out two.

Fremont starter Hayden Kelberlau pitched 5.0 innings, giving up one run off one hit, struck out ten, walked six, committed one balk, had two wild pitches and hit two batters. Connor Petersen pitched 1.2 innings, giving up two runs off two hits, walked three and committed one balk. Tyler Dunham worked 1.0 inning, giving up one run off one hit, struck out one and walked one. Brandt Phillips (2-3) took the loss. He pitched 2.0 innings, giving up one unearned run off one hit and walked one.

Offensively for Spearfish, Ryan Bachman was 0-for-3 with an rbi. Javier Marcial was 2-for-4 and drove in four runs. Micah Coleman was 0-for-2 with two rbi's.

For Fremont, Josh Blount was 1-for-6 with an rbi. Jack Torosian was 3-for-4. Cooper Fuchino went 4-for-5 with four rbi's. Carter Sintek was 1-for-6 and drove in one run. Miles Meadows was 4-for-6.

Fremont and Spearfish will wrap up their three-game series, Sunday afternoon. First pitch at Black Hills Energy Stadium is 5:05 p.m. (CT) / 4:05 p.m. (MT). The game will be broadcast on Big Dog Country, 98.9 FM and 1340 AM, KHUB. Live audio of the game will also stream at: www.mixlr.com/fmoo. Rich Ray and Alex Burstein will have the call of the game with coverage beginning at 4:45 p.m. (CT) / 3:45 p.m. (MT).

More Information: Sunday is the final day of the regular season in the ILB and three teams are still fighting to play in the ILB Championship Series. If Fremont defeats Spearfish, Fremont qualifies. If the Moo lose, their season ends. If Spearfish defeats Fremont, they need Hastings to lose to the Nebraska Prospects, to qualify for the Series. If Spearfish loses, their season ends. If Hastings defeats the Nebraska Prospects, they need Spearfish to defeat Fremont for the Sodbusters to advance to the Series. If Hastings loses, their season ends. The Casper Spuds clinched the second half of the ILB schedule Friday night, to go along with their first half title as well. Casper awaits either Fremont, Spearfish or Hastings, in the best-of-five series, which begins on Tuesday, July 30th.