Hitting ninth isn't exactly a glamour position, and coming in for what looks like mop-up relief usually isn't fun either.

On Sunday, Williston's Jens Aafedt did both, and looked pretty darn good doing so.

Aafedt threw 4 2/3 innings of lockdown relief as the Oilers erased a six-run deficit.

Then he knocked in the winning run in the bottom of the seventh, giving Williston a 7-6 win over the Bismarck Reps in the 16-18-year-old senior Babe Ruth state championship game.

It was the Oilers' second win come-from-behind of the day over the Reps, as Williston won the first title game 6-3.

"It's a pretty awesome feeling,"Aafedt said. "I'm just glad I was able to help us go to Missouri."

The pair of victories earned the Oilers a spot in the senior Babe Ruth Midwest Plains Regional July 27-Aug. 1 in Bonne Terre, Mo.

Bismarck jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the second game, getting five runs in the second - keyed by Tyler Johnson's two-run single.

But Aafedt entered in the third, and wouldn't give up a run - but he did see his share of trouble.

Aafedt loaded the bases with nobody out in the fourth inning, had runners on second and third with nobody out in the fifth, and had runners on first and third with one out in the seventh.

"Jens did a good job for us on the mound, and that kind of bailed us out,"Williston coach Valdie Magstadt said. "When you're down six, and they're hitting that well, you just need the kids to focus.

"We didn't get down, and we had kids make some plays."

A lot of the plays were on defense. Zack Nelson was spectacular at third base, notching five assists and a diving grab of a liner in the win.

Center fielder Quinn Devlin also made a diving grab to end the sixth inning on a ball hit by Bismarck's Zach Klabo that would've scored two runs if it would've dropped.

"Our third baseman made six or seven incredible plays, and we don't win if (Devlin) doesn't make that catch in center,"Aafedt said. "The defense came up big, that's for sure."

The Williston comeback started slow, as the Oilers scored a run in the third and another in the fourth.

They were saving their real damage for later.

With one out in the sixth inning, five consecutive hitters reached base - three on singles and two on walks - to make it 6-4.

Then the Oilers caught a break.

With the bases loaded, Reps pitcher Jeremiah Johnston made a pickoff throw over to first - and he had Nelson nailed - but the throw got away from first baseman Alex Allen.

The ball zipped by into foul territory, allowing Aafedt and Jordan Braun to score, tying the game.

"We got some hits, and we got some walks, and that's when you make things happen,"Magstadt said. "It's tough to string together six hits, but when you get a few hits and a couple of walks - and you force them to make plays, that's when you can have a big inning."

The Reps had runner on second and third with one out in the top of the seventh, but some aggressive running cost them.

Drew Hausauer was sent home on a steal attempt from third, and he was tagged out by Nelson after a brief rundown for the second out.

The play looked designed to get Aafedt to balk, and there was some discussion by the umpires as to whether the pitcher did or not, but the play stood as originally called.

Nate Schlosser then ended the inning by flying out to center.

The Oilers wasted little time in their half of the seventh, as Richter led off by blasting a double off the wall in left that nearly left the park.

"I thought that one was gone when he hit it,"Magstadt said. "But that was a big hit. It got us in a very good spot."

Devlin followed with a perfect bunt down to third for an infield single, putting runners on the corners.

That drew an intentional walk to Adam Pozgay to load the bases, and it drew the infield and outfield in for Aafedt.

The No. 9 hitter didn't disappoint, rapping a 1-1 pitch by the left infielders for the win.

"I was pretty glad to see the infield in, because I have been hitting the ball pretty hard this whole year,"Aafedt said. "Ijust wanted to come out and get that hit right away."

Williston won the first title game behind a five-run fifth inning. The Oilers batted around in the frame, but only needed three hits to plate the handful of runs.

Aafedt and Alex Mock had RBI singles in the inning, but Williston also took advantage of four walks and a hit batsman.

First championship game

Williston 6, Bismarck 3

Williston 010 050 0 - 6 6 0

Bismarck 100 200 0 - 3 10 1

Zack Nelson and Doug Richter. Drew Eichele, Jeremiah Johnston (6) and Tyler Johnson. W - Nelson. L - Eichele. HR - none.

Highlights:Williston - Doug Richter, 2 runs. Bismarck - Darron Olson, 2-for-4. Tyler Johnson, 2-for-3. Jon Hausauer, 2-for-3. Drew Eichele, 2-for-3, 2 RBIs.

Second championship game

Williston 7, Bismarck 6

Bismarck 150 000 0 - 6 13 2

Williston 001 104 1 - 7 11 1

Tyler Johnson, Jeremiah Johnston (6), Alex Allen (7) and Drew Eichele, Tyler Johnson (6). Nathan Wingerter, Jens Aafedt (3), Alex Mock (7). W - Mock. L - Johnston. HR- none.

Highlights:Bismarck - Tyler Johnson, 4-for-4, 2 RBIs, 2 SB. Jon Hausauer, 3-for-4, double, 3 RBIs. Drew Hausauer, 2-for-5, double. Zach Klabo, 2-for-4.