Cole Maccoux hit a walk-off, two-out single up the middle in the eighth inning to send the top-seeded Hilltoppers (25-1) to the finals of the Class 2A state tournament.
The No. 5-seeded Bulldogs (22-3) built an early 2-0 lead Friday at Dick Putz Field in St. Cloud but the Hilltoppers came back to tie the game in the fifth inning on Carter Sullivan's two-run single.
In the bottom of the eighth, Duluth Marshall loaded the bases ahead of Maccoux’s game-winning hit.
Brett Benson recorded the victory after pitching the final four innings for the Hilltoppers, allowing zero runs on five hits.
The Redhawks are back in the state championship finals after powering past St. Peter for a 9-1 victory in the Class 2A semifinals Friday at Dick Putz Field in St. Cloud.
Minnehaha Academy scored three runs in both the third and fifth innings to stretch its lead against the Saints (20-6).
The Redhawks (20-4), who won back-to-back state titles in 2016 and 2017, outhit the Saints 14-8.
Noah Dehne and Dylan Kiratli both had three hits and 2 RBI each, with Dehne hitting a two-run homer.
Pitcher Bennett Theisen pitched 6⅔ innings in the victory, giving up one run while striking out 11. He also hit a two-run home run.