With its season on the line, the Aberdeen Circus Sports Bar took care of business Sunday afternoon at Fossum Field.

The local squad pulled away from an early tie to record a 13-3 eight-inning win over the Rapid City Diamondbacks in an elimination game in the State A Amateur Baseball Tournament.

“You’re always tuned up when you come. These guys come ready to play every day,” said Circus catcher Kelly Coates when asked about the importance of the contest. “This is a good ball team. We play hard every time we’re here.”

It was Coates who provided a key hit that got Aberdeen going, a double that broke a 2-2 tie in the fourth inning. Another run scored on the hit due to a throwing error.

Circus was unable to get a hit like that in a shutout loss the evening before.

“It was good to come up big,” Coates said. “We missed a couple of opportunities getting guys in (Saturday) night, so it felt good to get one today, bust it open.”

Coates talked about his double off of Rapid City pitcher Devin Romney, prolonging his at-bat before getting a pitch to his liking.

“Romney pitched really well today. He had me beat,” Coates said. “That was a pretty tough at-bat. He beat me in a couple of times and I finally got the barrel out to one in a long at-bat there.”

Circus added two more runs in the sixth inning on Brandon Kusler’s single before pulling away to win on the 10-run rule.

Aberdeen scored four times in the seventh, two coming on a Colton Cox double, and then tacked on three more runs in the eighth on Karson Hesser’s two-run triple before Dalton Cox singled him in to end the contest.

Coates and Michael Babcock each had three hits to lead Circus, which finished with 14 hits in all. Kusler, Dalton Cox and Ryan Ellingson each had two hits. Colton Cox drove in three runs.

Jesse Riddle, Francisco Dicochea and Ty Bissonette each had two hits for Rapid City.

Aberdeen now moves on in the tourney where it will face the Brookings Cubs at 3:30 p.m. on Friday at Drake Field in Mitchell.

“They’re always tough. They have a real good offense and they swing it, but I think we match up really well,” Coates said. “Our pitchers have been throwing really well and our defense is always good, so that will keep us in one.”

Circus will once again be faced with a win-or-go-home situation, but Coates is looking forward to another opportunity to play.

“I think we’ll compete next weekend. Anytime you get to come to the yard, big pressure, no pressure, whatever, it’s a good day, so looking forward to it,” Coates said. “I’m glad we get to play a little more this year.”

Rapid City Diamondbacks 000 200 10 – 3 9 3

Aberdeen Circus Sports Bar 110 202 43 – 13 14 2

Devin Romney, Ty Bissonette (8) and Francisco Dicochea; Chad Ellingson and Kelly Coates. 2B – Rapid City Diamondbacks, Bissonette, Dicochea, K Schlueter; Aberdeen Circus Sports Bar, Dalton Cox, Colton Cox, Coates, Ryan Ellingson. 3B – Aberdeen Circus Sports Bar, Karson Hesser. HR – Rapid City Diamondbacks, Jesse Riddle.