Oran, Bell City victories set up rematch for district title

Top-seeded Oran and No. 3 seed Bell City took different routs, but both arrived in the Class 1, District 2 championship game with semifinal victories Tuesday inOran.

Oran (17-2), the top-ranked team in the state and the defending district champion, breezed into Thursday's 4:30 p.m. championship game with a 12-0, five-inning rout of No. 5 Bernie.

No. 3 Bell City (14-4) advanced with a 3-2 nail-biter over No. 2 Chaffee (12-11), scoring the winning run in the top of the seventh inning.

The championship game will be a rematch of last year's title game, which Oran won by the 10-run rule. The Eagles also own a 14-2 victory over the Cubs earlier this season.

On Tuesday, Oran used a two-run single by Joey Bickings and two-run double by winning pitcher Tyler Nelson to take a 4-0 lead in the first inning. The Eagles added two runs in the third and ended the game with a six-run fifth. Bickings, 2-for-2 with four RBIs, blasted a two-run home run in the fifth. Ryne Wood, 3-for-4, ended the contest later in the inning with a two-out, three-run home run.

Nelson struck out 11 batters, walked three and gave up three hits in five innings. Oran finished with nine hits.

Travis Blanchard took the loss for Bernie (6-11).

All the scoring came late in Bell City's victory, including the winning run on a two-out double by winning pitcher Ben Duncan in the seventh inning.

Bell City broke a scoreless duel in the sixth with a pair of runs. Chaffee answered with a one-out, two-run homer by Sam Burnett in the bottom of the inning.

The Cubs used a two-out rally to score the winning run in the seventh. Jack Daniels drew a two-out walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored off Duncan's double off the left-field wall.

Duncan retired Chaffee in order in the bottom of the inning. He struck out 10 for the game, walked five and surrendered four hits.

Zac Horman took the loss in relief. He allowed two hits in two innings, struck out three and walked two.

District games rained out, rescheduled for today

The Class 1, District 3 tournament at Leopold was rained out for the second straight day. The first-round game between No. 4 Oak Ridge (3-11) and No. 5 Zalma (1-5) will be today at 2 p.m., while No. 3 Caledonia (9-6) and No. 6 Meadow Heights (2-11) follow at 4.

In Class 2, District 2 at Ste. Genevieve, semifinals were pushed back to today. Top-seeded Kelly (9-10) and No. 4 Charleston (8-8) will meet at 4:30 p.m., and No. 7 Scott City (2-15) will play No. 3 Valle (12-9) at 7 p.m.

In Class 3, District 3 at Dexter, Mo., two final first-round games will be today after being postponed Tuesday. Fourth-seeded Kennett (11-11) will play No. 5 Doniphan (11-4) at 4 p.m., the winner facing top-seeded Sikeston (21-1) in the semifinals. Second-seeded Notre Dame (16-6) will face Fredericktown (6-14) at 6 p.m., the winner playing No. 3 Dexter (14-8) in the semifinals.

In Class 4, District 1 at Arnold, Mo., semifinal games were pushed back to today. Sixth-seeded Jackson (11-11) will meet No. 2 Fox (12-12) at 2 p.m., while top-seeded Central (17-9) takes on No. 5 Seckman (12-12) at 5 p.m. Central and Fox received first-round byes, while Jackson and Seckman won first-round games on Monday. The championship game is set for 4 p.m. Thursday.

-- From staff reports