Fifth-seeded Salem advanced to the semifinals of the Missouri Class 4 District 4 Tournament by knocking off fourth-seeded Cuba 3-1 in first-round action Saturday in Owensville.
This week Salem, 8-16, was to take on top-seeded Sullivan Monday in the semifinals. In the other semifinal Monday sixth-seeded host Owensville was to take on second-seeded St. James. Owensville advanced by upsetting third-seeded St. Clair 3-0 in the first round Saturday. Sullivan and St. James received first-round byes.
The district championship game is slated for 4 p.m. Thursday in Owensville.
The Tigers ended the regular season with a 2-0 SCA loss to Mountain Grove in Salem.
Salem 3, Cuba 1: Down 1-0, Salem scored all three runs in the top of the fifth inning to come from behind and beat the Cuba Wildcats in first-round action.
After Cuba got a run in the bottom of the third inning, the game stayed 1-0 until Salem put up three in the fifth, including an RBI double by junior Kaiden DuBois, an RBI single by sophomore Kash Howard and another RBI from sophomore Corbett Ball.
Salem’s senior Bronson Crocker and DuBois made that stand. Crocker got the victory, working the first four innings and allowing one unearned run on two hits and a walk while striking out seven. DuBois finished up on the mound, throwing three innings of one-hit ball, walking three and fanning four.
Salem outhit Cuba 4-3. Howard had two hits and DuBois and sophomore Roy Sanders one each. Sophomore Cayden Moody stole a base.
Mtn. Grove 2, Salem 0: The Mountain Grove Panthers scored the game’s lone two runs in the top of the first and second frames, respectively.
The Panthers outhit Salem 8-3.
Crocker was the tough-luck losing hurler, going the entire seven innings and allowing two runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out five.
Sanders had a double and Moody and junior Owen Hamilton both singled for the Tigers.
