The two remaining teams from Region 8 failed to advance following the second weekend of play in the State Class C Tournament.

Cold Spring’s Austin Dufner belted a record-tying three home runs and drove in seven runs for Region 11’s third-seeded Rockies who surprised the top-seeded Buckman Billygoats 12-8.

Jake Dykhoff, former pitching star from Wadena-Deer Creek high school, tossed a two-hit shutout to lead the Bluffton Braves past the Randall Cubs 11-0.

Bluffton 11, Randall 0

MILROY — Jake Dykhoff pitched a two-hit shutout for Region 14’s top-seed Bluffton Braves who eliminated Region 8’s third-seeded Randall Cubs 11-0 in seven innings during the second round of the State Class C Tournament Saturday, Aug. 29.

Dykhoff, a Wadena-Deer Creek graduate, tossed a no-hitter through the first five innings over which he retired 15 of 16 batters. The only base runner came on a walk to Brett Stack in the third.

Dykhoff finished with 13 strikeouts, just one walk and two hits. A single to left by Cubs’ third baseman Brett Stack to start the top sixth ended Dykhoff’s bid for a no-hitter.

In the top of the seventh, Dykhoff struck out the first two batters before Alec Zack ripped a double to left center for Randall’s second hit. Dykhoff hit the next batter before picking up his 13th strikeout to end the game.

Meanwhile Randall struggled on the mound using five pitchers over six innings.

Starter Caleb Strack took the loss and lasted 1 1/3 innings. Travis Wenzel pitched 2/3 an inning before being replaced by St. Stephen draftee Jake Schelonka who lasted two innings. Reese Kapsner, draftee from the Pierz Lakers, came on with two on and nobody out in the fifth and held the Braves to two runs.

Swanville draftee Levi Beseman took the mound with runners at the corners and nobody out in the sixth, the only inning Bluffton didn’t score a run. He got the first batter he faced to pop up to second, picked off the runner at third, and struck out the third batter he faced.

Collectively, the five pitchers gave up 12 hits, 11 runs (eight earned), struck out six and walked six.

Bluffton plated a run in the first and then blew the game open with six in the second on six singles, a walk and a hit batter. A sacrifice fly in the third and RBI double by Wyatt Haman in the fourth put the Braves up 9-0 and they scored two more in the fifth on RBI singles after loading the bases with nobody out.

Josh Dykhoff and Wyatt Haman led the Bluffton offensive attack. They both finished 3-4 with a run scored and a collective three RBIs.

Randall 0 2 2

Bluffton 11 12 2

WP: Jake Dykhoff. LP: Caleb Strack. 2B: R-Alec Zack; B-Wyatt Haman.

Cold Spring 12, Buckman 8

SPRINGFIELD – Austin Dufner belted three home runs and finished with seven RBIs to lead the Cold Spring Rockies past the Buckman Billygoats 12-8 Sunday, Aug. 30.

Dufner’s homers tied the State Class C tournament record for most home runs by a player in a single game shared with 16 other players dating back to 1949.

Almost lost in the excitement caused by Dufner was the performance of Rockies ace Ryan Hennen who struck out 10 over five innings while Cold Spring built a 10-3 lead.

The Rockies used four other pitchers over the final four innings. They collectively gave up five runs on four hits.

After falling behind 12-3, the Billygoats refused to go quietly as they scrapped back to get within four and left the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth.

Cold Spring quickly got on the board when Dufner belted his first home run following a lead-off walk in the top of the first.

The Rockies added four more runs in the third. Collin Eskew led off with a triple and scored on Tyler Geislinger’s single. That was followed by Dufner’s second homer of the game to make it 5-0. Then Alex Geislinger belted a one-out solo shot that led to Buckman starter Matt Tautges being relieved by Chad Weiss, a draftee from the Pierz Lakers.

The Billygoats started to come back in their half of the stanza. Joe Kahl and Travis Kahl opened with back-to-back singles. With two outs, Lane Girtz loaded the bases when he reached on an error. Noah Boser drew a walk forcing in the first Buckman run and Aaron Weber drove in another run with a single to right. Matt Kummett drew a full-count RBI walk to make it 6-3 before Shawn Lanners popped up to end the inning.

Three straight singles to start the fourth added a run to stretch the Rockies lead. Following a pop out, Dufner came to the plate with runners on second and third and he responded with his third homer of the game, a blast to right center that made it 10-3.

A bases-loaded single in the sixth by Sam Distel produced the final two runs for Cold Spring.

A two-out RBI single by Tautges produced a Buckman run in the bottom of the sixth.

The Billygoats loaded the bases with two out in the eighth and a walk to Girtz forced in a run. Luke Selken took over the mound from TJ Neu and walked Boser on four pitches to make it 12-6.

Buckman added two more runs in the bottom of the ninth. An error, passed ball, and a single put runners at the corners with one out. Travis Kahl singled in Andrew Winscher and then with two outs Tautges’ RBI single scored Joe Kahl. Girtz was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

That brought Boser, who had already walked twice with the bases loaded to the plate. He hit a fly out to the right fielder to end the game.

Tautges, who started on the mound, took the loss for Buckman. He lasted 2 1/3 innings over which he gave up six earned runs on six hits. He walked one and had no strikeouts.

Chad Weiss tossed three innings in middle relief. He also gave up six earned runs and had one walk and no strikeouts. He surrendered eight hits.

Preston Rocheleau took over with one out in the sixth. After giving up a walk and a single, he retired the next 10 batters he faced, four by strikeout. The Rockies didn’t get another runner until the ninth when with two out, Rocheleau allowed a walk and single. He then struck out Dufner for the second time to end the inning.

Joe Kahl went 3-5 and scored three runs. Tautges, Girtz and Travis Kahl each finished with two hits.

Cold Spring 12 16 4

Buckman 8 11 2

WP: Ryan Hennen. LP: Matt Tautges. 3B: CS-Collin Eskew. HR: CS-Austin Dufner 3, Alex Geislinger