Dylan Hefflinger
PBR Senior Writer and Northwest scout

BRYAN - Defiance County rivals No. 4-ranked Tinora and No. 22-ranked Ayersville will meet again. This time with a trip to regionals at stake.

The Green Meadows Conference squads got outstanding pitching performances on Friday to beat Buckeye Border Conference foes in Division IV district semifinal games at Sumpter Field. Talented junior Clay Pittman threw a one-hitter in helping the Rams to an 11-0 six-inning victory over BBC champion Edon before unsigned senior left-hander Mason Aelker tossed a two-hitter in a 5-1 win over North Central in game two.

Pittman allowed just four base runners in his six innings on the hill, with one doubled up on a 1-6-3 double play.

Tinora took a 2-0 lead in the first off Edon junior righty River Wicker, the Rams scored six in the second. Talented sophomore E.J. Kissel lined a two-out, two-run single to right and Top Prospect Games participant Derek Drewes powered a three-run triple over the head of the Edon right-fielder.

Drewes followed that up with another run-scoring triple in the fourth.

TP Games Participant Reid Renollet had three singles and freshman Dakota Stark a single and double for Tinora.

Pittman had nine strikeouts and one walk in his complete-game effort, allowing just a single to Wicker.

Aelker battled control issues in game two but outdueled North Central senior Kole Peterson in the second contest. Peterson had thrown a one-hitter against Ayersville in the district semis a year ago, but this time Aelker proved too much for the Eagles.

The big lefty struck out 11 but walked nine and hit a hatter in the victory. Aelker also picked off a pair of Bombers, a big factor in stopping two North Central threats.

Ayersville scored three runs in the first on just one hit, a bunt single by Joe Goonan. A bases-loaded throwing error on a grounder to short scored all three first-inning runs for the Pilots.

Ayersville added two additional runs in the fifth off Peterson, who threw a four-hitter, with DJ Hagerman and Gage Odom starting the frame with singles and eventually scoring on ground outs.

North Central picked up its lone two hits in the seventh on singles by Branden Turner and Peterson, but Aelker closed out the Eagles setting up a rematch with Tinora on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Ayersville junior left Matt Engel is expected to face Tinora freshman right-hander Brevin Renollet. Tinora beat Ayersville 6-2 earlier in the month.

LINESCORES

Edon 000 00 - 0 1 3

Tinora 260 3x - 11 11 1

Records: Tinora 16-7, Edon 16-11.

Winning pitcher: Clay Pittman (5 innings, 0 runs, 1 hit, 9 strikeouts, 1 walk).

Losing pitcher: River Wicker (3 1/3 innings, 9 runs, 8 hits, 2 strikeouts, 5 walks). Other: Connor Hug.

Leading hitters: (Edon, 1 hit). (Tinora, 11 hits) - Reid Renollet 3 singles; Derek Drewes 2 triples, 4 RBIs; Dakota Start single, double.

Ayersville 300 020 0 - 5 4 0

No. Central 000 000 1 - 1 2 1

Records: Ayersville 15-8, North Central 15-11.

Winning pitcher: Mason Aelker (7 innings, 1 run, 2 hits, 11 strikeouts, 9 walks, 1 HBP).

Losing pitcher: Kole Peterson (7 innings, 5 runs, 4 hits, 9 strikeouts, 5 walks, 1 HBP).

Leading hitters: (Ayersville, 4 hits). (North Central, 2 hits).