Dylan Hefflinger
PBR Senior Writer and Northwest scout

BRYAN - Tinora had 11 hits, 10 walks and one hit batter to overcome six errors and beat No. 22 Ayersville 13-8 in the Division IV District championship game at Bryan on Saturday.

The No. 4 Rams scored five runs in the third inning to take the lead for good at 7-4 en route to their third straight trip to the regionals. A walk to nine-hole hitter Logan Dickerson opened the frame and sophomore Underclass Games participant EJ Kissel and junior Top Prospect Games participant Reid Renollet followed with singles. After walks to gifted juniors Clay Pittman and Derek Drewes (TP Games participant), freshman Brevin Renollet hit a two-run single to left field off of Ayersville unsigned senior relief pitcher Mason Aelker, the ace of the staff.

The Pilots, which scored three runs in the top of the first featuring singles by Matt Engel, Joe Goonan and Aelker off of Tinora frosh starter Brevin Renollet, scored one in the fourth to pull within 7-5 on a RBI single by junior Luke Lawson.

The lead ballooned from there, however, as Tinora scored two in the fourth on another two-run base knock by Brevin Renollet, who walked and had a sac bunt in his other two plate appearances.

"Reid (Renollet), Derek (Drewes) and Clay (Pittman) help me out a lot," Tinora head coach Brent Renollet said of the three returning Tinora starters. "The experience they have helps a lot. They just tell me be confident and good things will happen."

After Aelker plated a run in the top of the sixth for Ayersville with an RBI single, Tinora put the game away with four in the sixth, Reid Renollet hit a single, Pittman reached on a walk and Drewes singled to right to score Renollet. Brevin Renollet's sac bunt moved up the runners and freshman Dakota Stark came through with a two-run single. Junior Austin Mahan added a RBI single for the Rams.

Pittman, who came in to relieve Renollet in the fourth after throwing a one-hitter against Edon on Friday, closed out the game for Tinora, which now moves on to face McComb in the Division IV Regional semifinal at Patrick Henry High School. Northwood and Delphos St. John's meet in the 2 p.m. game on Thursday with Tinora and McComb to follow.

The Rams have advanced to state the past two seasons, losing to eventual state champ Minster (who faltered during this year's tournament) in the state semis a year ago.

LINESCORE

Ayersville  310  101  2  -    8    9  0 

Tinora        205  104  x  -  11   11 6 

Records: Tinora 17-7, Ayersville 15-9.

Winning pitcher: Brevin Renollt (3/23 inning, 5 runs, 4 hits, 2 strikeouts, 5 walks, 1 HBP). Other: Clay Pittman (31/3 innings, 3 runs, 5 hits, 5 strikeouts, 0 walks).

Losing pitcher: Matt Engel (2 innings, 7 runs, 4 hits, 1 strikeout, 5 walks). Others: Mason Aelker, Luke Lawson.

Leading hitters: (Ayersville, 9 hits) - Matt Engel 2 singles; Mason Aelker 3 singles, 3 RBIs. (Tinora, 11 hits) - EJ Kissel single, 3 runs; Reid Renollet 2 singles, 3 runs; Clay Pittman single, 3 runs; Derek Drewes 2 singles; Brevin Renollet 2 singles, 4 RBIs.