The bottom of the lineup helped Farina South Central Varsity Cougars capture a 5-1 victory over Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City Varsity Bobcats on Monday in the opening round of their 1a regional. Sebastian Kruger, Kaiden Harrell, and Isaac Guerrettaz combined for four of the team’s six hits in the victory. They scored three runs and drove in one.
Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City Varsity Bobcats got on the board in the third inning after Connor Vaughn doubled, scoring one run.
Farina South Central Varsity Cougars took the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Colton Tockstein grounded out, scoring two runs, to give Farina South Central Varsity Cougars the leg up, 2-1.
Tockstein earned the win for Farina South Central Varsity Cougars. The hurler surrendered two hits and one run (zero earned) over seven innings, striking out nine and walking three. Clive Schlanser took the loss for Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City Varsity Bobcats. The starting pitcher went five and two-thirds innings, allowing three runs on three hits, striking out eight and walking five.
Farina South Central Varsity Cougars’s Kruger, the number eight hitter, led Farina South Central Varsity Cougars with two hits in two at bats. Luke Shumate and Kruger each drove in one run for Farina South Central Varsity Cougars.
Vaughn led Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City Varsity Bobcats with one run batted in. The infielder went 1-for-2 on the day. Vaughn and Schlanser each collected one hit for Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City Varsity Bobcats. Schlanser stole two bases. Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City Varsity Bobcats turned one double play in the game.
The Cougars will play the hosts at North Clay in regional semifinal play on Wednesday.
