By Sun Journal staff

AUBURN – Brady Blackman fired a two-hit gem to help New Auburn qualify for the state tournament with a 5-2 triumph over Gilman Electric in the semfinals of the Zone III tournament Saturday.

New Auburn, the No. 2 seed, opened with a run in the first on Justin Ciszewski’s RBI single.

The lead grew to 2-0 in the fifth when John Alexander singled home Kevin Smith, who reached on a double.

After Gilman scored an unearned run in the seventh, New Auburn put the game away with three runs. After an error brought home two runs, Adam Lutz lofted a sacrifice fly to plate his brother David Lutz with his second run scored of the game.

Blackman, who struck out nine, had a no-hitter through the first six innings before Alex Smith singled in the seventh. Tyler Merchant singled to lead off the ninth, but was quickly erased on a line-drive double play.

New Auburn will travel to Bath to face Smith-Tobey for the Zone III title today at 10 a.m.

Smith-Tobey 11, Bessey Motors 10

TOPSHAM – Smith-Tobey bounced back from near defeat to notch an 11-10 extra innings win over Bessey Motors in American Legion baseball action Saturday afternoon.

Bessey Motors (10-12) rallied for six runs in the top of the ninth to take a 10-8 lead into the final frame. All six runs were earned after one out in the ninth. Dillon Trundy ripped a two-run single to tie the game at eight before teammates added the go-ahead runs.

In turn, Smith-Tobey evened up the score with a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings.

Following a pair of singles in the home half of the 11th inning, Bessey Motors decided to load the bases with an intentional walk.

But the strategy failed when Marshall Chick was hit by a pitch to push the winning run across the plate for Smith-Tobey (20-1).

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