Houghton Building Supply-Stanton's Dax Durocher (left) catches Coldwell Banker Craig Heinonen's Carson Turner in a rundown Thursday in a Twilight League semifinal playoff game in Stanton. (Eddie O'Neill/For the Gazette)

STANTON — Coldwell Banker Craig Heinonen’s player-coach Ross Kinnunen summed up his team’s 7-2 Twilight League semifinal win over Houghton Building Supply-Stanton Thursday as a three-facet victory.

“We had great pitching in Cody Turner. Then came strong hitting, and we played well in the field,” he said. “It was a complete-game win.”

Coldwell Banker was the second seed going into the playoffs. Stanton was the third seed. Coldwell Banker had beaten Stanton 2-1 in the three games they played during the regular season. Stanton did, however, even the series at 2-2 with a win against Coldwell Banker in the Leo Durocher Tournament in July. In short, both player-coaches agreed that this one could have gone either way on Thursday.

Coldwell Banker’s trifecta started in the first as they jumped out to 3-0 lead.

It began with Trevor Halonen and Eric Anderson both getting hits. Then Carson Turner cleared the bases with a two-RBI triple off of Stanton’s starter Eli Luoma. Carson crossed home for run number three courtesy of Brogan Turner’s hard hit single to left.

That is how the game stayed as pitcher Cody Turner threw strikes ad the seven men behind him backed him up and kept Stanton off the base paths. Coldwell Banker added another run in the fifth as Cody Turner scored on a Ross Kinnunen double.

Stanton was not to be shut out, however. In the top of the sixth, they tallied two runs. Base hits by Levi Frahm and Dax Durocher led them both to cross home several batters later, making it a 4-2 game in favor of Coldwell Banker, but they sealed the win in the bottom of the sixth with three more runs.

Swinging a hot bat that frame were Andrew Kinnunen and Trevor Halonen. Andrew belted a double to left center, and Trevor reached on a well-executed bunt. They both scored, as did Austin Kinnunen, to make it a five-run game at 7-2.

“Game ball goes to Cody (Turner),” said Ross Kinnunen. “He pitched well and got a couple of hits. To hold their team (Stanton) to two runs is a big accomplishment for us.”

Stanton’s player-coach Daron Durocher gave credit to Coldwell on a well-played game.

“They capitalized on every opportunity they got,” he stated. “When we gave them an extra out, they took advantage of it. We had opportunities, but we didn’t get the extra hit when we needed it. That’s baseball.”

Up next

Coldwell will face Northern Driveline for the Twilight League championship game on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in Stanton.