ORAN SHOWS OFF PITCHING DEPTH IN 4-2 SECTIONAL WIN

ORAN -- Oran High baseball coach Mitch Wood has enough confidence in any of his top three pitchers that he's always ready to make an early move that most coaches might never even contemplate.

A case in point was Thursday afternoon's Class 1A sectional game between Oran and visiting Holcomb.

The Eagles led 1-0 in the top of the second inning when Oran starting pitcher Justin McAllister walked the bases loaded with one out. Wood didn't hesitate. He sent McAllister to shortstop and moved Dustin Dannenmueller from shortstop to the mound.

There's no telling how McAllister might have fared the rest of the way, but Dannenmueller was certainly sharp the remainder of the contest as the Eagles squeezed past the Hornets 4-2.

Oran, now 21-3, will play at Eminence Saturday (2 p.m.) in the state quarterfinals. Eminence routed Naylor 13-0 Thursday. Saturday's winner earns a berth in the 1A Final Four in Columbia next week.

Holcomb, third in the 1A state tournament last season, wound up 19-11.

"I've said all along that we have three real good pitchers and I have confidence in every one of them," said Wood. "If Dustin had gotten into trouble, I would have brought in Dustin Glastetter."

After McAllister -- who is 7-0 -- was lifted with the bases loaded and one out, Dannenmueller got a pop out on the infield but then hit Adam Tucker to force in a run (charged to McAllister) and tie the contest.

But Dannenmueller escaped further damage and was in control the rest of the way, improving to 5-1 as he gave up just two hits and one run in 5 1/3 innings. The righthander struck out six and walked one.

"Coach said I might be needed later in the game, but I wasn't planning to pitch that early," said Dannenmueller with a laugh. "I was a little nervous at first, but then I settled down."

Said Wood, "Justin has been throwing the best for us and the good thing about it is, he can come back and throw Saturday."

The Eagles seemed to have control of the game the entire way, outhitting the Hornets eight to three, but several wasted opportunities allowed Holcomb to stay close throughout.

Still, Wood was pleased with the way the Eagles hit the baseball up and down the lineup.

"We hit the ball real hard all game and you can't ask any more than that," he said. "I consider us to have good hitters up and down the lineup."

Dannenmueller helped himself with two hits while McAllister and Jeff Schaefer also had two hits apiece. McAllister, Schaefer and Adam Friga all drove in runs while Friga had the defensive play of the game, a diving catch of a pop foul.

"I'm tickled with the way we played," said Wood. "We've played our best baseball of the season the last several games."

Josh Buchanan took the loss. He was hurt by poor defense as the Hornets committed five errors that helped the Eagles score two unearned runs.

Oran got a run in the first before Holcomb tied it in the second.

The Eagles then took the lead for good with two in the bottom of the second, Schaefer and Friga delivering RBI hits.

After Tucker's homer in the fifth made it 3-2, the Eagles added an insurance run in the sixth on McAllister's RBI hit.

Now the Eagles will set their sights on Eminence and the school's first final four berth since 1982.

"We feel like we have a good chance of going (to the final four) this year," Dannenmueller said. "We're hoping to have another good game Saturday."

Sikeston 9, De Soto 2

DE SOTO -- Sikeston moved into the Class 4A quarterfinals by rolling to a sectional road win Thursday.

The Bulldogs improved to 18-3 as Mitchell Sharp belted two home runs and drove in four runs.

Brent Self was the winning pitcher. Now 8-1, Self allowed just two hits and one earned run while fanning eight.

Sikeston will host Chaminade Saturday afternoon, with the winner moving into the 4A Final Four.

Also Thursday, Dexter's season ended with a 5-0 loss to host Potosi in 3A sectional play.