FARGO - The loser's bracket isn't the address the Bismarck Governors prefer, but it has its advantages.

"We knew today was an elimination game and we had to win. … We had to put it all on the line today," Bismarck's Dustin Wenzel said after the Governors thumped Jamestown 14-4 in loser-out play at the state Class A Legion baseball tourament.

"We knew we couldn't just show up. We had to show up to play," Wenzel added.

Wenzel was definitely on the beam, rapping a three-run triple in the top of the second inning as Bismarck jumped off to a 6-0 lead. He later smacked a sacrifice fly to finish the day with four RBIs.

With the victory, Bismarck moves into the final four with Dickinson, Minot and Williston.

Minot is the tournament's only remaining undefeated team. Minot beat Dickinson 3-1 on Friday in a matchup of unbeatens and Williston ousted Fargo 7-4 in the loser's bracket.

There are only two games on today's schedule. Bismarck takes on Dickinson in a loser-out gameand Minot goes against Williston. Regardless of what happens today, Minot is guaranteed a berth in Sunday's championship game.

Bismarck came out in attack mode, scoring eight runs off Jamestown right-hander Andrew Lick in three innings. The Governors got to relievers Luke Heinle and Greg Brown for five runs and one run, respectively. Four Jamestown errors resulted in six unearned markers.

"I couldn't be prouder of their mental approach," Bismarck coach Mike Skytland said. "When you get beat like we did last night (19-5 in against Minot) you can get down on yourself but we came out with an aggressive attitude and carried it through."

Jon Hausauer and Justin Connell contributed handsomely to the Bismarck attack, plating two runs apiece. Nathan Schlosser banged out three of the 11 Governor hits.

Matt Loomis went the distance on the mound for Bismarck, walkng six and striking out three. He delivered 104 pitches in seven innings before the 10-run rule took effect. Fifty-eight of his pitches were strikes.

The Governors need at least two and, possibly, three runs to win the tournament. Wenzel admits it's a tall order.

"It's a long road back, longer than we wanted," he said. "But we have to deal with it. … We have to play hard and play with the mentality that we can win it."

Skytland said he will send his only lefty, Jeremy Campbell, 6-1, to the mound today.

The Bismarck coach said he was confident his team would come back strong after being overwhelmed by Minot. "You learn in baseball that every game can be completely different. It teaches you mental toughness," he said.

Bismarck 062 024 0 - 14 11 1

Jamestown 010 030 0 - 4 5 4

Matt Loomis and Torey Bohan; Andrew Lick, Luke Heinle (4), Greg Brown (6) and Kyle Walden. W - Loomis, 5-2. L - Lick, 3-4. HR - None.

Highlights: B - Jon Hausauer 2-for-3, 2 R, 2 RBIs; Dustin Wenzel 1-for-2, 1R, 4 RBIs; Zach Wentz 1-for-2, double, 1 R, 1 RBI; Justin Connell 2-for-4, triple, 2 RBIs; Nathan Schlosser 3-for-, 2 R, 1 SB; Loomis 7 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 6 BB, 3 SO. J - Nick Walden 1-for-4, 1 RBI; Greg Brown 1-for-3, double, 1 RBI; 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO.

Records: Bismarck 36-15, Jamestown 21-30.

Williston 7, Fargo 4

With the season on the line, Williston coach Greg Beauchman dipped into his pitching staff and came up with lefty Tucker Slagle, a lefty with a 1-1 record in 30 1-3 innings.

Slagle responded with eight innings of four-hit ball to oust tourney host Fargo.

"I felt like I was hitting my spots," Slagle said of his 114-pitch effort. "… The first-pitch strike was there and as a pitcher that's your friend because then the batter is on your court."

Slagle gave way to closer Andy Leer, who shifted from shortstop to the mound after an inning-opening walk in the ninth. Leer surrendered an RBI double to Ben Sand, but finished the game without further damage.

Although he wanted the complete game, Slagle said it was comforting to be able to give the ball to Leer, who earned his seventh save.

"It's really nice to know you've got a closer like Leer coming in. He's going to throw strikes and he gets the job done every time."

Williston nibbled away at Fargo, scoring in five different innings.

Leer singled home a run and came around to score on a wild pitch as the Keybirds put two runs on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first. Leer's double plated a third run in the third inning and in the fourth he sent home two more men with a single that glanced off pitcher Eric Jagim's right leg into right field.

For the day, Leer collected two singles and a double, knocked in four runs and stole a base. In the field he was flawless in eight attempts, including a groundball on the grass behind second place and an over-the-shoulder catch on a pop fly into short left field. Williston came up with five outstanding defensive gems in Slagle's behalf.

"It's an awesome feeling to see our defense bounce back after some crucial errors last night (in a 8-5 loss to Dickinson)," Slagle said. "It makes you job so much easier because you just have to throw the ball over the plate and you don't have to overpower anyone."

Slagle did little overpowering, fanning just two Post 2 batters. He walked four.

Beauchman said right-hander Jeff Skadeland, 5-2, would pitch in today's game.

Fargo 000 010 021 - 4 5 3

Williston 201 021 01x - 7 8 0

Eric Jagim, Jake Edland (5), Sam Hirchrt (7), Bryant Larson (9) and Cory Shelton, Matt Beneke (8); Tucker Slagle, Andy Leer (9) and Devin Kvernum. W - Slagle, 2-1. L - Jagim, 2-6. Save - Leer. HR - Fargo, Hirchert, Tanner Bombenger.

Highlights: F - Bombenger 1-for-4, HR, 1 R, 2 RBIs; Hirchert 1-for-3, HR, 1 R, 1 RBI. W - Quinn Devlin 2-for-3, 1 R; Andy Leer 3-for-4, 2 R, 4 RBIs, 1 SB; 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO; Slagle 8 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 2 SO.

Records: Fargo 34-28, Williston 35-23.

Minot 3, Dickinson 1

Minot broke open a pitcher's duel between Jordan Martinson and Dickinson's Steven Laylock in the ninth as Teddy Anderson and Shane Gathman blasted back-to-back doubles to make it 2-1. Later in the inning, David Scharpe put down a bunt to score Ryan Bollinger on a suicide squeeze.

Minot scored the game's first run, Ryne Hornecker's double sending home Clay Kallias, who opened the third inning with a single.

Dickinson's Kyle Schroeder came up with the equalizer in the bottom of the seventh, pulling a solo home run down the left field line.

For the most part, however, the contest was an exchange of goose eggs between Martinson and Laylock. Laylock, who threw 158 pitches, was the first to crack.

Martinson, presented with a two-run lead, took the mound for the bottom of the ninth, but coach Todd Larson pulled him when Ben Herauf opened the frame with a single. Bollinger, a tall lefty, came in and promptly picked Herauf off first. He then struck out Alex Koppinger and Travis Tooley to earn his fifth save.

Martinson, who threw 104 pitches, said he was running out of gas in the ninth inning. "I told Lars (coach Todd Larson) that if someone gets on base to stick a fork in me," he said.

Bollinger was more than obliging. "I like it," he said of his role as a closer. "… I'm usually in a close game with something big on the line. (Martinson) pitched a heck of a game and I had to give it my all to get him the win."

Gathman said he was confident that, as Laylock's pitch count mounted, the Vistas could eventually wear him down. "That Laylock kid threw a heck of a game, but we stuck with it the whole game and that's what won it for us," Gathman said.

Minot 001 000 002 - 3 9 0

Dickinson 000 000 100 - 1 5 0

Jordan Martinson, Ryan Bollinger (9) and Dane Towery; Steven Laylock and Alex Koppinger. W - Martinson, 6-1. L - Laylock, 5-4. Save - Bollinger. HR - Dickinson, Kyle Schroeder.

Highlights: M - Ryne Hornecker 2-for-4, double, 1 RBI; Teddy Anderson 3-for-3, double, 1 R; Shane Gathman 1-for-4, double, 1 RBI; Martinson 8 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 8 SO; Bollinger 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO. D - Schroeder 1-for-2, HR, 1 R, 1 RBI; Tyler Steffan 2-for-4; Laylock 9 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO.

Records: Minot 46-13, Dickinson 37-24.

Dickinson 8, Williston 5

Dickinson erased a 3-1 deficit with the next five runs of the game to pick up the win late Thursday.

Dickinson 010 021 202 - 8 9 4

Williston 000 300 200 - 5 8 3

Tooley, Steve (7) and Koppinger. Sorenson, Qvale (7), Leer (9) and Kvernum.

WP-Tooley (7-4). LP-Sorenson (4-5). S-Steve. HR-Liffrig (16) and Herauf (15).