ORAN TO FACE DEFENDING 1A STATE CHAMPION IN TITLE GAME

ORAN, Mo. -- Oran and defending state champion St. Vincent will meet in the Class 1A, District 2 Tournament title game after posting semifinal wins Tuesday.

Oran the top seed, knocked off No. 5 Oak Ridge 13-2 in five innings, while third-seeded St. Vincent got past No. 2 Bell City 7-3.

Trey Graviett was the winning pitcher for Oran, which improved to 20-5. Graviett worked two innings, striking out one and walked one.

Ben Fadler suffered the loss for the Bluejays (12-7). In 1 1/3 innings, he allowed eight runs (six earned) on four hits and a walk. He struck out one and hit a batter.

For Oran, Adam Friga went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Joey Bickings went 2-for-2 with a home run and three RBIs and Tyler Cookson went 3-for-3 with a double.

In the other semifinal, Derek Kutz held Bell City -- the sixth-ranked team in 1A -- to only one hit. Kutz went the distance and allowed no earned runs. He walked three and struck out seven.

Adam Bockman and Ryan Brown had two hits for St. Vincent. Bockman homered and drove home two.

St. Vincent improved to 14-11 while Bell City finished at 17-4.

The championship game will be Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

CLASS 1A, DISTRICT 3

ANNAPOLIS, Mo. -- Advance and Leopold will meet for the Class 1A, District 3 championship after the tournament's top two seeds posted wins Tuesday at South Iron High.

The top-seeded Hornets rode the bat and the arm of Adam Rainey past Bunker 10-4, while No. 2 Leopold knocked off No. 6 Viburnum 6-2.

Rainey went 4-for-4 with a grand slam, a solo home run and six RBIs for Advance (10-9). On the mound, he picked up the win. He went seven innings and allowed four runs, three earned, on three hits and three walks. He fanned 10.

Eric O'Hare and Blaine Tidwell both went 2-for-3 for Advance.

For Leopold, Josh Van de Ven held Viburnum to five hits. Van de Ven walked six and struck out seven.

Adam Landewee, Daniel Schaab and Paul Hutchings all had two hits for the Wildcats (10-7). Schaab had three RBIs.

The championship game will be Thursday at 4:30 p.m.