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GRANITE FALLS - In baseball, more often than not it comes down to that one big inning and in Granite Falls on Thursday night where the 2009 Legion playoffs got underway, that was exactly the case.

Granite Falls and Minneota faced off for the second time this season and for the majority of the game it was a mirror image of the first meeting. Minneota jumped out to a quick lead, but Granite Falls used that one big inning to get back in the game and go on to an eventual 10-4 win.

"We have been hitting the ball well," Granite Falls head coach Nick Richter said. "I think we started kind off flat and when they got ahead it made us realized we needed to get it together. I knew we were going to hit the ball and we put it together and had a couple big innings."

After a scoreless first, Minneota plated one run in each of the next two innings. Joe Bretschneider got on board in the top half of the second inning after a dropped third strike. Bretschneider stole second base and scored on a Cody Jerzak double to left field.

"It seemed like we were ready to go right away," Minneota head coach Keven Larson said. "We had just played in a tight game last week and I thought if we jumped out early we could hold them off."

Minneota got back to work in the top of the third when Alex Buysse drew a one-out walk. Charles Bot hit a routine ball to the first baseman Dylan Lindstrom who fielded it and went for the double play - but the throw was wild putting Buysse on third and Bot on first.

Alex Christensen drew a walk to load the bases. A strike out by Justin Fox, put Bretschneider up with two outs, he drew a bases loaded walk to pick up the RBI. Granite Falls' Phil Johnson then struck out Jerzak to end the scoring threat and the inning. Johnson went the distance in the game allowing four runs on five hits with eight strike outs.

"We had guys one base and we moved them into scoring position," Larson said. "But we never got the big hit. They (Granite Falls) took advantage and capitalized on mistakes and situations and we didn't."

Granite Falls capitalized and took the lead in the home half of the third. Tyler Sand drew a lead off walk and on the next pitch Brandon Lee took one off the helmet to put runners on first and second with no outs.

A sacrifice bunt by Austin Cole put runners in scoring position, then Minneota pitcher Buysse sat Travis Enger down for the second out of the inning and it looked as if Minneota was going to get out unscathed.

Granite Falls Johnson helped himself with a RBI-single up the middle to make it 2-1. Granite Falls would tie it on the next pitch as Taylor Tollefson ripped a two RBI-double in the right field gap to give Granite the 3-2 lead.

They weren't done, a Texas league single to the right side by Derek Dyrdahl scored one to make it 4-2 Granite.

"I think the four run inning really helped to settle Phil (Johnson) down," Richter said. "After we got those runs he started to pitch instead of just throwing and we let our defense take over. It was nice to see and nice to have such timely hitting and that was the difference."

Granite Falls would add to its lead in the bottom half of the fifth when Enger led off the inning with a single, a wild pitch put him on second before Johnson drew a walk.

Dyrdahl then hit a shot to the third baseman and reached on a fielder's choice to load them up for pinch-hitter Steve Kvam who delivered with a two RBI single through the middle to make it 6-2 Granite Falls.

Back-to-back singles by Jordan Hagert and Sand, who each picked up one RBI gave Granite Falls a decisive 8-2 lead.

"I thought Alex threw a good game," Larson said. "He kept them off balance early in the game and then they started to hit the ball and their bats really came alive. They got a couple pitches to hit and they took advantage."

Minneota drops to the losers side of the bracket and will take on Montevideo who lost to Cottonwood 3-1 on Thursday night. Larson said his team needs to show up ready to play baseball.

"We need to be ready to play," he said. "It will be interesting to play a Saturday morning game in the summer and we will see how the kids react. But we need to make the routine plays and get the hits when we have runners on base."

Granite Falls advances through to the winners side of the bracket and they will take on Cottonwood. Richter said the key will be pitching and defense.

"I think the key for us will be on the mound and in the field," Richter said. "We need to have good pitching and play solid defense, I think we will get our hits and we will score some runs, but we have to shut down the other team."

Minneota 011 002 0 - 4 5 2

Granite Falls 004 042 X - 10 11 2

M-Alex Buysse. G-Phil Johnson. WP-Johnson. LP-Buysse. 2B: M-Cody Jerzak. 2B: G-Taylor Tollefson, Jordan Hagert.