Warrior baseball heads to sectional game

By Kayleigh Rahn
The Tuscola baseball team locked in the regional championship from the first inning with 7-1 post-season victory over Oakwood during the last home outing of the season.

Noah Pierce went the distance to strike out 15 batters and allowed only four hits en route to the Warrior win.

Tuscola scored five in the first.

Dalton Hoel led off the game with a base on balls and went to second on an errant pickoff attempt, Coach Duff Hoel said. Lucas Kresin sacrificed Hoel to third in front of an Andrew Erickson single that scored Hoel. Brayden VonLanken then walked, and Cade Kresin got on via error to load the bases for Tyler Meinhold. Meinhold’s Grand Slam completed the scoring for the Warriors’ in the first.

With two out in the second, Lucas Kresin drew a base on balls. Andrew Erickson then singled advancing Kresin to second. VonLanken’s single then scored Kresin.

Tuscola put together six runs before Oakwood reached the plate as Skylar Bolton homered for the Comets in the top of the third for their lone score.

“Tuscola’s final run in the fourth came after Erickson led off the inning with a base on balls,” Hoel said. “He then advanced to second on a single by VonLanken. Cade Kresin then singled to load the bases and Erickson scored on a wild pitch.”

Tuscola advances to Sectional play on Wednesday, May 23 at Bloomington Central Catholic.

For a chance at the regional title Tuscola finished ALAH’s season with a 13-1 win on May 16.

Hunter Hutcherson’s walk off Grand Slam in the bottom of the fifth plated the runs necessary for the 10 run rule shortened game. VonLanken also crushed a ball for two RBIs.

Logan Tabeling took the win after pitching 2 2/3 innings striking out four and allowing one hit.

The full story can be found in the Wednesday, May 23 edition of The Tuscola Journal.