Vian wins Class 2A District Tournament

The Vian Wolverines baseball team took the first step toward a state-tournament berth as they swept the Mounds Golden Eagles by scores of 3-1 and 18-4 in five innings.

The Wolverines (20-17) will advance to next week’s Class 2A Regional Tournament, which will have its site and pairings announced early next week.

In Game 1, after the Golden Eagles broke a scoreless deadlock with a run in the fourth inning, the Wolverines took the lead for good with a three-run fifth inning, highlighted by Draighton Fletcher’s one-out, solo home run and Lastyn Taylor’s two-out, two-run double, for a 3-1 lead.

For the game, Fletcher hit a solo homer, Taylor hit a two-run double and Cash Collins doubled and scored once for Vian.

Riley Ellis (7-0) got the complete-game win, fanning 11 batters in seven innings and throwing a two-hitter.

In Game 2, the Wolverines wasted little time in taking control, scoring five runs in the first inning for a 5-0 lead, which became an 11-1 lead by the second inning. A sevenrun third inning put the game into run-rule status.

For the contest, Collins was 4-for-4 with a double, a triple, three runs scored and a run batted in, Fletcher was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI, Gabe Gilbert was 2-for-3 with a double, four RBIs and three runs scored, Kaden Fulbright was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI, Stryker Fields was 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored and Taylor doubled with three runs scored and an RBI for Vian.

Michael Polecat (5-3) got the complete-game victory with eight strikeouts in five innings.

WARNER 2, CENTRAL 1

CENTRAL 6, WARNER 4

Wednesday at the Class 2A District Tournament in Warner, the Tigers (15-15) and the Eagles split the first two games, setting up the winner-take-all game, which was slated to be played Thursday weather permitting.

In Game 1, the Eagles scored single runs in the fourth and sixth innings for a 2-0 lead.

Connor Walters hit a one-out solo home run in the seventh inning to cut the deficit to 2-1, but Warner pitcher Jace Jackson retired the next two batters to end the threat — and the game.

In defeat, Walters was 2-for-4 with a solo homer, Hardy Buzzard was 2-for-3 and Aiden Sainer doubled for Central.

Cade Tucker took the loss, despite striking out seven batters in six innings and scattering five hits.

In Game 2, the Tigers broke a 4-all tie with a two-run sixth inning, highlighted by an RBI single by Walters, for a 6-4 lead.

For the game, Tucker was number 2-for-4 with a double and two runs batted in.

Walters got the win, fanning six batters in seven innings and throwing a four-hitter.