Cape Coral American earned their Ground Hog Day experience Sunday with a 6-2 victory over Niceville in the Little League Baseball State 10-11 Tournament semifinals in DeFuniak Springs.

Cape plays Plant City in the championship game Monday for the second year in a row. Plant City prevailed 7-2 last year to earn a trip to the Regional Tournament. Cape hopes to turn the tables on their pool play rival this time and advance to the Regional in Greenville, N.C., starting on Thursday.

Tony Rios gave a command performance on the mound for Cape Sunday, surrendering two runs on just three hits over 5 2/3 innings. Trey Koza relieved in the sixth with the bases loaded and two outs after Rios walked a couple and hit a batter. Koza induced a game-ending groundout to seal the victory.

Koza had a double and Milton Cuyler added a clutch base hit to lead Cape’s six-hit offense. Cape scored two runs in the first inning and Rios pitched a near flawless gem from there.

Nine of Cape’s current players were on the team that lost to Plant City in last year’s state championship game. Likewise, Plant City, which beat Cape 3-1 in pool play on Saturday, has most of its same players again.

Cape reached the semifinals with one win and two losses in pool play, earning the slot on total runs scored differential.

Monday’s championship game is slated to start at 7 p.m.