EAGLES SWOOP UP 10-0 VICTORY

MALDEN -- It was evident from the outset that Oran High's baseball team would have its way here Thursday.

The Eagles scored five runs in the first inning and never looked back as they crushed Bernie 10-0 in a Class 1A sectional game that was stopped in the bottom of the sixth inning by the run rule.

Oran, the defending 1A state runner-up, improved its record to 20-5. The Eagles will host Van Buren at 2 p.m. Saturday in a quarterfinal contest, with the winner earning a berth in next week's 1A Final Four in Columbia.

Bernie, coming off its first district title since 1983, ended its Cinderella-type season at 12-11.

"We were focused and ready to play today," said Oran coach Mitch Wood. "We hit the ball, jumped on them early and stayed on it."

Oran senior pitcher Dustin Glastetter was in total control, retiring 18 of the 19 batters he faced. The right-hander was denied a potential perfect game when Roger Palmer hit a bloop single to short center field in the fifth inning.

"I felt real good," said Glastetter, who struck out 10. "We were pumped up today on the bus ride over here.

"Our four seniors (Dustin Dannenmueller, Chris Nichols and Billy Loper are the others) know what it's like to be at state. We don't want to settle for second again."

On losing the no-hitter, Glastetter said, "I figured it would happen sooner or later, that somebody would get a bloop hit."

The game was so one-sided, Glastetter could even afford to laugh at a base running blunder of his.

Glastetter belted a ball over the center-field fence in the third inning and he crossed the plate with what should have been Oran's seventh run. But the umpires ruled that Glastetter had missed first base and he was called out.

"I touched it. I hit the corner of the bag," said a grinning Glastetter. "But at least I proved I could hit it out."

Nichols proved he could hit it out -- twice. After entering the game homerless on the season, Nichols belted a three-run shot in the first inning and a two-run blast in the fifth. Both homers went over the left-field fence.

"Everybody kept telling me I couldn't hit the ball out," said Nichols, smiling. "We came out ready to play. I'd heard rumors that they (Bernie) weren't very good, but you can't take anybody lightly. We're taking it one game at a time."

Adam Friga also homered for the Eagles, a solo shot in the second inning, one of his three hits in the contest.

Loper had three hits, including two doubles, and he drove in two runs. Ryan Dennis added two hits as every Eagle in the lineup hit safely except for Glastetter -- and he would have if his homer had not been wiped out. Oran finished with 14 hits.

Oran jumped on Bernie starter Mike Johnson for seven hits and five runs in the opening inning, the key blow being Nichols' two-run blast.

Friga's homer in the second made it 6-0, Nichols' two-run shot in the fifth made it 8-0 and two runs in the sixth ended the contest.

"We ran into a very good team," said Bernie coach Morris Karnes. "We knew we'd have to play perfect to have a chance. Glastetter is tough. We knew we wouldn't score many runs."

Now the Eagles will look to beat Van Buren -- which knocked off Eminence 3-2 in eight innings Thursday -- and reach the 1A Final Four again.

"I feel good about the way we're playing," Wood said. "We've got good pitching and we play good defense. I've said all along if we start hitting the ball we'll be in good shape."