The rubber game of the series would decide the District 3 champion.

Before Surrey’s season began, Collin Headrick decided to make an impulse buy. While he and his teammates were shopping at Walmart, he saw a rubber chicken and snagged it. That chicken became the team’s good-luck charm throughout the season.

“Just random,” Headrick said. “I had the money.”

Make no bones about it. The Blue Sox are headed to state.

Jimmy Lafakis/MDN Surrey's Ryder Holien (left) and Renville County's Stetson Helwig (right) embrace at home plate.

Headrick earned the win on the mound in Surrey’s 15-0 victory over Renville County. The Blue Sox scored one run in the first inning, two in the second and exploded for 12 runs in the third. The game ended via mercy rule after five innings.

In an inning where the Muskrats used three pitchers, Surrey nearly batted around its order twice.

Alex Hansen and Jaxon Feller walked with the bases loaded. Dalton Anderson singled into center. Mason Dunn got hit by a pitch for the fifth time on the day. Mitch Seopa added a two-run single. Headrick helped his cause with a single up the box. Alex Hansen smacked another single into center, bringing home two more. Jaxon Feller ripped a deep double and Dalton Anderson singled into left.

That inning solidified the Blue Sox’ second win over their rival in as many days.

“It’s just an awesome feeling,” Surrey head coach Kelly Wetzel said. “We came back strong. I just felt that our pitching was going to prevail over anybody here, honestly. We’re that deep.”

Pitching and defense were the main weapons in Saturday’s battle of attrition.

“We’ve developed our staff throughout the season,” Wetzel said. “We could go seven, eight deep with our pitching staff. They can all throw strikes and are good pitchers. I thought we would be a tough team to beat.”

Surrey will face Thompson on Wednesday, July 31, in the American Legion Class B State Tournament.

“We’ll probably take a day off,” Wetzel said. “We’ll get back at it on Monday and start some practice. We’ll get a scouting report and see what we need to do to win a few ballgames.”

Moments before Wetzel and coach Jesse Roberts received a refreshing ice bath at home plate, Headrick offered a final word about his teammates and their unofficial mascot.

“I don’t know where I would be without them,” he said.

Jimmy Lafakis covers Minot High School sports and Class B high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @JJLII30.