REDFIELD – Redfield made the most of its opening round State B American Legion baseball tournament appearance Friday, claiming a 14-4 win over Elk Point-Jefferson despite giving up three early runs in the top of the first inning.

Elk Point-Jefferson plated those three runs using a triple by Hunter Geary, a sacrifice fly, a run-scoring double by Tayson Swatek and a bases-loaded hit by pitch all before there were two outs in the inning.

“We had a rough first inning,” Redfield coach Tommy Gregg acknowledged. “They got three on us right away and took the air out of the place in a hurry.”

The host squad settled in after that, however, scoring six runs of its own in the first two innings. Keaton Rohlfs had a two-run single in the first, before Redfield scored four two-out runs in the second. Three runs came in on a throwing error and Erik Salmen drove in another run on a single.

Redfield then exploding for eight runs in the fourth inning to seal what would end up in a run-rule victory.

The key to that comeback, Gregg said, lay in Redfield’s ability to keep guys moving on the base paths.

“We played some small ball just to get our guys moving,” he said. “They had a pretty good catcher and pitcher that could hold our guys. We like to run … so we had to find other ways to get our guys moving other than the straight steal.”

That strategy pressured Elk Point-Jefferson into a trio of errors, another of which cost the visitors dearly in the fourth when an errant throw allowed Redfield’s Peyton Osborn to come to bat with the bases loaded.

Osborn didn’t miss, punctuating the inning with a grand slam.

“Tonight looked like us from last year and the year before using our athleticism and speed that makes it tough for the other team,” Gregg said. “Then you get some guys on and then you get some doubles and a grand slam. I think it shows our diversity as a team.”

Osborn, who got the start on the mound, scored three runs and drove in four with his only hit of the day. Camden Osborn collected four hits, three runs and an RBI, while Keaton Rohlfs went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two more driven in.

Redfield will face Clark-Willow Lake in the second round this evening around 7:30 p.m., a squad that Redfield defeated twice by double-digit margins last week in the region.

“They earned their way into the state tournament just like everyone else did,” Gregg said. “They’ll have our full attention (Saturday).”

Elk Point-Jefferson 300 01 – 4 6 3

Redfield 240 80 – 14 11 1

Hunter Geary, Ben Swatek (2), Kayden Moore (4) and Jacob Gale; Peyton Osborn, Nathan Gall (5) and Keaton Rohlfs. 2B – Elk-Point Jefferson Tayson Swatek; 3B – Elk Point-Jefferson, Geary. HR – Redfield, Osborn.