PENDLETON — In a do-or-die game for the Jeff/GRC 13 Baseball All-Stars, they qualified for the Indiana State Tournament semifinals in Hobart with a 17-8 win over Elmhurst in their pool-play finale.

With the score tied at five in the top of the sixth inning, Harrison Dale smacked a two-run double to give Jeff/GRC (2-1) the lead for good at 7-5. With Jeff/GRC leading 8-5, it blew the game wide open with nine runs in the top of the seventh.

Jeff/GRC’s Nolan Fertig went 2-for-3. Dalton Brown was the winning pitcher in relief after a solid effort by Jeff/GRC starter Morgen Tackett.

“We were more intense than we’ve ever been,” Jeff/GRC manager Scott Fertig said. “We got the timely hits. Morgen did a good job pitching.”

Jeff/GRC plays its semifinal at 4 p.m. today. If it wins, Jeff/GRC will compete in the championship game at 8 tonight.

• Jeff 13-14s upend Portage: The Jeff 13-14 Baseball All-Stars improved their pool-play record to 2-0 with a 7-0 triumph over Portage in the state tournament in Lowell.

Tyler Sariscany paced the Jeff/GRC offense with two hits and three runs scored. Teammate Ben Shahroudi had two hits and two runs scored, and Drew Ellis added a two-run homer.

Jeff/GRC pitchers Dalton Duley, Chandler Dale, Josh Burke and Shahroudi combined to throw a two-hit shutout. They had seven total strikeouts.

The Jeff pitching staff also was supported by a solid defense that committed no errors and sealed the win with a double play.

“They continue to step up their game. Our bats were alive and our defense was tough,” Jeff/GRC manager Dale Sariscany said.

Jeff/GRC faces Franklin Township at 4 p.m. today.

• Creek 9-10 softball blanks Chet Waggoner: Silver Creek started play in the 9-10 softball state tournament in Indianapolis by beating Chet Waggoner Little League, 10-0.

Hannah Wolford and Lexi McAfee each tossed two innings, giving up a combined two hits in the win for Creek, which will face Lebanon in its second pool-play game at 10 this morning.

Kami Pennington scored two runs and two RBIs and Dana Shields also added two RBIs in the win for Silver Creek, which collected 10 hits as a team.

• HYR 13-14 All-Stars post another shutout: Another day, another shutout for the Highlander Youth Recreation 13-14 Softball All-Stars.

HYR upped its record to 2-0 in pool play on Friday with a 3-0 victory over Riverfield in the state tourney in Lebanon. The Highlander All-Stars have not given up a run during postseason play, as all six of their victories have been by shutout.

HYR pitcher Caroline Cato tossed a two-hit shutout. In seven innings, she struck out 14 Riverfield batters and surrendered only one walk.

HYR scored all of its runs in the bottom of the first. Its first two batters got on base as Kenedy House got hit by a pitch and Cato walked. Both players then scored on a two-run single by Katelin Dreher.

Later in the frame, HYR’s Ruthanna Fritzinger laid down a bunt single, which plated Dreher from second base.

“It was a great team effort. We ran into a good pitcher, but we got runners on base right away,” HYR head coach Eddie Cato said. “The girls played great defense. Caroline was a trooper today. She mixed the speeds on her pitches really well.”

HYR will close out pool play at 6 tonight against Lebanon. If HYR wins, it will advance to the semifinals on Sunday.

• HYR 11 Baseball improves to 2-0: Jared Andres drilled two solo homers to lead the HYR 11 Baseball All-Stars to a 4-2 victory over McCutcheon in seven innings in the state tournament in Fort Wayne.

Andres’ first solo shot was in the top of the second to put HYR (2-0) up 1-0.

Then in the top of the seventh with the score tied at two, Andres led off the frame with his second solo homer for the go-ahead run. Teammate Zach Cavins scored an insurance run later in the frame.

HYR starter Trevor Clark was the winning pitcher. He tossed two scoreless innings, yielding two hits.

“The confidence we had in our defense helped pull our pitchers through in tough situations,” HYR manager Paul Rutledge said. “Our pitching was up and down today. Offensively, we did a good job at the plate, but a lot of our runs were by getting runners in scoring position on passed balls. Our momentum got going with Jared’s home runs.”

HYR takes on Highland at 6 p.m. today.

• HYR 15-16s end state on high note: The HYR 15-16 Baseball team concluded its state-tournament run in Greenwood on a positive note, downing Seymour in five innings 12-2.

HYR (1-2) bolted out to a 4-0 advantage with two homers in the bottom of the first. Anthony Sneed put the Highlander All-Stars up 3-0 with a three-run homer. Two batters later, Trey Reinhart smacked a solo shot to increase the lead to four.

Reinhart and teammate Reuben Fritzinger both went 2-for-3, while HYR’s Cody Cherry was 2-for-2. Sneed and teammates Zach Nichols and Evan Manias each went 2-for-4.

Manias was the winning pitcher in a complete-game effort.

“It was a moral victory for us,” HYR manager Joe Ruttle said. “I’m glad they bounced back and wanted to win. We were out of the tournament, so we played a little bit looser.”

Sports Editor Mike Hutsell contributed to this report.