In the second semifinal game on Tuesday evening, Platinum Roofing outlasted and out-ran Morrison Tool & Fab by a final score of 16-11. Platinum Roofing didn’t get it done right from the start but consistent play throughout the game and critical stops on defense held Morrison Tool & Fab just as its momentum picked up at different times during the game.
In the top of the first, John Gillespie for Platinum Roofing started with a single. Two quick back-to-back outs had Gillespie still standing on first base. Luke Judkins put him on the move with a hard knock through the defense for a double. Gillespie scored to take an early 1-0 lead. Tyler Self put the ball into the outfield and Judkins scored for a 2-0 lead. Self was tagged out trying to stretch his double into a triple to end the inning.
Morrison Tool & Fab tried to set the tone in the bottom half of the first. Lukas Bernhardt and Haven Jones connected for a pair home runs that sent the Platinum Roofing defense to the fences. And with two batters Morrison Tool & Fab had tied the game at 2.
Garryn Duggin blasted a hit for a double. Cash Livesay hit a line-drive for a single and Duggin crossed the plate for a 3-2 lead. Livesay got tagged out at second and a strikeout followed for the first two outs of the inning. Conner Andrews and Isaac Jones reached first base on a pair of singles. Andrews would advance over to third but a strikeout for the third out would leave the two runners on base.
Platinum Roofing was back up to the plate and started with back-to-back outs in the top of the second. Kalyn Jones and Colton Young reached base with consecutive singles. Taven Black cleared the bases with a monstrous blast through the defense for a triple and Platinum Roofing had reclaimed the lead at 4-3 just before a strikeout ended the inning.
In the bottom of the second, Tristan Stone hit a shot right past the infield and took his spot at first base. A couple of quick outs Stone made his way around to third. Bernhardt sent a hit past the infield, Stone scored to tie the game at 4-4 and Bernhardt tried to reach third but was tagged out for the final out.
Back to the top of the order in the top half of the third and Kaden Jones reached first base with a single. Back-to-back singles by Judkins and Self scored Jones and Platinum Roofing took the lead again at 5-4. Noah Bain sent a shot into the gap for a double and he drove in Judkins and Self for a 7-4 lead.
 Jon Young jumped on a pitch and drove it deep for a triple and cleared the bases. Bain scored for Platinum Roofing and took an 8-4 lead. Young would score off a Kalyn Jones single and Platinum Roofing extended its lead to 9-4 to end the inning.
Morrison Tool & Fab fell off the pace in the bottom of the third. Hayven Jones singled to start the inning but a quick pair of outs followed. Hayven Jones made his way to third on the ground balls. Andrew Diaz had a base hit to reach first base and Hayven Jones scored the only run of the inning and Morrison Tool & Fab trailed 9-5 before a strikeout ended the inning.
In the top of the fourth, Platinum Roofing also started on the wrong foot and picked up two quick outs. Judkins singled and Self smashed a double and scored Judkins all the way from first base for a 10-5 lead. Bain followed with a double to score Self and Platinum Roofing extended its lead to 11-5. Out three came on a strikeout and left the bases loaded.
In the bottom half of the fourth the offense for Morrison Tool & Fab continued to struggle. Isaac Jones singled and he was brought in by Conner Hopkins with a huge triple and cleared the base pads and made it an 11-6 game. Singles by Alex Smith and Bernhardt scored Hopkins and Morrison Tool & Fab cut into the lead again, 11-7.
Platinum Roofing was not going to let up and Black started the fifth with a double. Black scored when Gillespie and Kaden Jones hit back-to-back singles to take a 12-7 lead. Two more singles by Judkins and Self were enough to push around the runners and score. Platinum Roofing took a 14-7 advantage halfway through the fifth.
Morrison Tool & Fab started the bottom of the fifth with a double by Duggin and he eventually scored off a ground ball by Livesay that went for an out. Two consecutive strikeouts ended the inning but the score was 14-8.
Heading into its final at-bat, Platinum Roofing added two more runs by Young and Black. Gillespie helped them to get around the bases with a single and Platinum Roofing led 16-8 in the middle of the sixth.
Morrison Tool & Fab led off the bottom of the sixth with an out. Hopkins crushed a pitch for a double. Stone followed that with a blistering shot through the infield for a triple and the lead was 16-9. Smith singled and Stone crossed the plate to make it 16-10. Bernhardt crushed a triple, the second of the inning and Smith would score for a score of 16-11. Unfortunately the third out came to quick and ended any hopes of tying the game up.
Platinum Roofing defeated Morrison Tool & Fab by a final score of 16-11 and Platinum Roofing will move on to the championship game versus Brent’s Computers tonight at 5:30 p.m.