Todd Rose | Daily Press Gladstone baseball coach Joe Darmogray talks to the team during an MHSAA Division 3 Region 33 Semifinal against Houghton in Gladstone Wednesday.

GLADSTONE — The Houghton Gremlins made the fourth inning their difference maker here Wednesday as they handed the Gladstone Braves a 4-1 baseball loss in a Division 3 regional opener.

Houghton (21-0), which did all of its scoring in the fourth frame of its first regional tournament appearance, meets Standish-Sterling (18-4) in a regional final Saturday at 10 a.m. in Harbor Springs. The winner advances to the state quarterfinal at 3 p.m.

The Braves finished 21-7-1.

Gladstone opened the scoring on Cam Kelly’s single to rightfield in the first but stranded two baserunners in each of the first two frames.

“We left too many guys on base,” said Braves coach Joe Darmogray. “We couldn’t get the hits when we needed them.”

The Gremlins began the third with consecutive singles by Bryce Pugh, Cam Cischke and Kade Farrell before Pugh tied the score on a bases-loaded walk to Gaborik Carlson.

Cischke gave Houghton a 2-1 lead on an infield single by Dylan Primeau. Farrell then scored on a fielder’s choice, and Carlson ended the scoring on an error.

“This is a big one for us,” said Houghton coach Joe Romano. “Gladstone has a good team, and they’re very well-coached. I can’t say enough about them. Their kids worked hard. I think we’re a very good pitching team and our defensive lineup is very strong.”

The Braves threatened in the fourth but stranded a runner on third.

With one out in the sixth, it appeared Nick Martin’s line drive to center would drop in for a single. The Braves’ catcher, however, was denied on a diving catch by centerfielder Reed Heathman.

Nick Horning got the complete game victory, striking out five, walking two and allowing seven hits.

“We knew they were a team that hits fastballs,” he said. “I just had to find out how much they were into hitting fastballs. We knew they were going to spread out the field. Then for a while, I started throwing more curves and sliders. Our defense was really on top of its game. That diving catch (by Heathman) really pumped us up. That could have been a momentum changer. I thought it would be a line drive single. This is the furthest we’ve gone into the tournament. We’re pretty excited right now.”

Braden Sundquist, who also went the distance, absorbed the loss. He fanned two, walked two and allowed seven hits.

The Braves got all eight of their hits in the first four frames, including a pair by Sundquist.

“Braden definitely pitched well enough to win,” said coach Darmogray. “They have a lot of speed on the bases, and we didn’t make the plays we needed in their big inning. Although, our kids played well overall. We had a good season. We’re a relatively young team. The kids came a long way.”

Farrell and Cischke had two hits apiece for the Gremlins, who like Gladstone, committed an error in the contest.

“Reed was converted from a first-baseman and has become a fantastic centerfielder,” said Romano. “Nick was our catcher, but he’s playing with a bad knee and pitching for the team. Dylan has become a top-notch catcher and called a beautiful game. We’re a team and a family. It’s all for one and one for all.”