Dylan Hefflinger
PBR Senior Writer and Northwest scout

HAMLER - No. 4-ranked Tinora picked up its third run-rule win in four tournament games with an 11-1 win over McComb in Division IV regional semifinal play at Patrick Henry High School on Thursday.

The Rams, which have scored at least 11 runs in every tourney game, scored two runs in the first inning and added four in the second to take a 6-0 lead before a 38-minute rain delay.

Freshman Dakota Stark had a two-out, two-run single in the first while Logan Dickerson, sophomore E.J. Kissel and Top Prospect Games participant Derek Drewes all hit singles to key the four-run second, which also included a pair of walks and a McComb error.

The Panthers pulled within 6-1 when Dalton Buck had a two-out triple after the rain stopped in the third and scored on a wild pitch by Drewes, who came on in the third to relieve starting pitcher gifted junior Clay Pittman. But Dylan Rumbaugh had a diving catch in right-center field to end the inning and then played a big part of a four-run fourth.

The lone senior on the Tinora roster lined a 1-2 pitch down the right-field line to clear the bases, with Drewes, freshman Brevin Renollet and Stark all scoring after reaching on walks.

Pittman finished off the game with a single off the fence in left-center field to score Kissel in the fifth.

Drewes hit two singles and walked in three plate appearances, scoring three runs and driving in one for Tinora. Kissel added a pair of singles for the Rams, which had eight hits and walked eight times, including three by Brevin Renollet and two by Pittman.

Tinora, now 18-7 on the season, faces Northwood at 2 p.m. on Friday in the regional championship game. McComb, in the regionals for the first time in school history, closes the year at 15-9.

LINESCORE

McComb  001  00  -    1  3  2
Tinora      240  41  -   11  8  0
Records: Tinora 18-7, McComb 15-9.
Winning pitcher: Derek Drewes (3 innings, 1 run, 3 hits, 3 strikeouts, 0 walks). Other: Clay Pittman (2 innings, 0 runs, 0 hits, 2 strikeouts, 1 walk).
Losing pitcher: Taylor Reardon (2 innings, 6 runs, 5 hits, 0 strikeouts, 3 walks). Other: Clay Grubb.
Leading hitters: (McComb, 3 hits) - Dalton Buck triple. (Tinora, 8 hits) - E.J. Kissel 2 singles; Derek Drewes 2 singles, 3 runs; Dylan Rumbaugh triple, 3 RBIs.