Hillbillies pull away from Red Devils in Class A Region 4 tournament opener

Bill Lusk | WVOW Sports

MAN   Landon Cantrell and Braxton Messer each had multiple hits, and both drove in two runs as second-seed and third ranked Man opened Class A Region 4 tournament play with an 8-1 win over seventh-seeded Calhoun County Wednesday night at William "Tootie" Carter Field.

Messer went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Cantrell was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles, pair of RBIs and pair of runs scored for the Hillbillies, who advance to Thursday's winner's bracket championship against third-seeded Wahama (14-14).

Three Hillbilly pitchers combined on a one-hitter as Cody Walls pitched 4 1/3 innings of hitless relief, striking out six and walking two to earn the win for Man. Walls was also 1-for-4 with a double.

Cantrell allowed one hit, one run while walking two and striking out two in 1 2/3 innings and Noah Maynor struck out two in a scoreless inning of relief.

Man led 2-1 after three innings but pulled away from Calhoun County (12-18) with a run in the fourth and fifth innings before plating four runs in the sixth.

Garrett Carpenter had a one-out single in the second inning and Evan Collins an RBI for the Red Devils.

Resse Schoolcraft took the loss after allowing eight runs on 13 hits with one strikeout in six innings.

Maynor went 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI, Cam Gerace was 2-for-4 with a double and Brayden Compton finished 1-for-3 with one RBI for the Hillbillies.

Man also got two RBIs from Gavyn Cline and one hit apiece from Noah Frazier and Braxton Sword.

Calhoun County hosts Van in an elimination game Thursday at 6 p.m. The winner will travel to Sherman on Friday. Friday's winner will advance to Saturday's loser's bracket championship against either Man or Wahama.