Photo by Iowa Central Athletics: Sawyer Stein had two hits and scored two runs for Iowa Central during Game 1 of the North Plains District final on Friday in Williston, S.D.

WILLISTON, S.D. — The No. 9 Iowa Central baseball team took a big first step toward securing a third straight NJCAA World Series appearance here on Friday.

The Tritons took the first game in a pressure-packed best-of-three series with Williston State for the North Plains District title, 12-3 in seven innings.

Wyatt Myers and Tate Perrin each went deep for Iowa Central (49-10 overall), who can clinch the automatic bid to the World Series and district crown with a win back here Saturday at 1 p.m.

If the Tetons (47-14) win, the two teams will meet in an elimination game for the championship.

George McIntyre, who was recently named the Region 11 Player of the Year, reached base four times and scored two runs. Will Specht was also on base four times, as the Tritons took advantage of several walks and errors by Williston State on the day.

Myers, Perrin, Sawyer Stein, Ben Jones and Parker Studtmann each scored two runs, as Jones had three hits and Stein two.

“We were patient and smart at the plate,” ICCC head coach Eric Stein said. “We worked the counts in our favor and when we got a ball to hit, we made it count.

“These games are all about making the routine plays and not allowing a bad inning to happen. So far, we’ve done that (this postseason) in most of our games.”

Iowa Central broke the game open in the fourth when they plated five runs. They also scored a run in the first, two in the third, two in the fifth and ended it with two in the seventh.

That was enough support for Carter Giesen, who went five innings, striking out five with three hits allowed for the win on the mound.

During this current four-game win streak, Iowa Central has plated 48 runs, including at least 11 in three of the four. They have hit 181 home runs on the season.

Last year, the Tritons reached the NJCAA World Series semifinals, falling to eventual national champion Pasco-Hernando State.

Williston State claimed the Region 13 title to earn a spot in the district final, as the Tetons are seeking the first NJCAA World Series appearance in program history.