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Thursday, May 18 – Both the Parry McCluer High School baseball and softball teams advanced to the Pioneer District finals by winning their semifinal games on Wednesday evening in Buena Vista. The PM baseball team (13-7 overall, 8-4 district) coasted to a 24-1 win in five innings over Highland County, while the PM softball team (11-6, 6-2) earned a 9-2 victory over Craig County.
The district finals are scheduled for Monday at 5 p.m., with baseball at Narrows and softball at Covington at the Jackson River Sports Complex.
On the baseball field, the second-seeded Fighting Blues erupted for 15 hits. The Blues led 12-0 after the first three innings before scoring 12 runs in the fourth inning.
Braedyn Houck recorded three hits and led PM with six RBIs, while Brayden Holdren added three hits and two RBIs. Adding two hits each for PM were Tyler Wade, Tanner Coleman and Cole Mills.
Leading the third-seeded Rams (10-11, 6-6) with two hits each were Michael Campbell and Walker Williams.
Houck pitched the first four innings for the Blues, striking out seven and allowing six hits, one walk and one earned run. Peyton Ramsey pitched the fifth inning for PM, surrendering no hits, no walks and no runs. Highland used five pitchers.
PM and Highland had split the regular-season series, with the Rams winning 9-2 on April 3 at Highland and the Blues earning a 2-1 victory last Thursday at PM.
In softball, the Blues trailed 1-0 in the first inning before scoring five unanswered runs and going on a late offensive surge against third-seeded Craig County (7-8, 3-4).
PM and Craig had split the regular-season series, with the Rockets winning 6-3 in New Castle on April 18 and the Blues earning an 8-7 victory on May 8 at PM.
In the semifinals, the Rockets took a 1-0 lead in the first when Annabelle Gregory stole home.
After struggling offensively the first two innings, PM took a 2-1 lead when Gracey Shafer singled on a line drive to center field to bring home Logan Vest and Olivia Julian.
The Blues went up 3-1 in the fifth when Autumn Mundy scored on a groundout by Julian. Later in the inning, Alysa Wheeler singled on a fly ball to left field to drive in two runs, making it 5-1.
Craig cut the lead to 5-2 in the top of the sixth scored on a sacrifice fly to left field by Sara Jones.
The Blues answered back by scoring their final four runs in the bottom of the sixth. After Vest and Mundy got on base with hits, Julian brought them both home with a single to right field. Julian then advanced to third before running home on a wild pitch. Scoring the final run was Claudia Coleman, who stole home for the Blues’ final run. Coleman was playing her first game since suffering an injury in the Blues’ 12-10 win over Eastern Montgomery on May 2.
In the top of the seventh, Julian struck out two of the final three batters. Julian pitched a complete game for the Blues, striking out four and allowing six hits, one walk and two runs.
The Blues racked up 12 hits against Craig pitchers Jones and Kammie Fisher. Mundy led PM with three hits, and Shafer had two.
For the full stories and photos from the district tournaments, please see our May 24 newspaper.
