BLUFFTON — Clear Fork made quick work of St. Marys Memorial in Saturday’s Division II district championship game.
The top-seeded Colts scored five runs in the bottom of the first and cruised to a run rule-shortened 11-1 win over the eighth-seeded Roughriders at Bluffton University’s Memorial Field.
St. Marys Memorial starter Kasey Gross lasted just one-third of an inning. Seven of the eight batters he faced reached base.
Clear Fork leadoff man Nate Lind got things started with a single to left and took second when Luke Schlosser coaxed a walk. Jay Jackson was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Mason Sansom drew a walk to plate Lind.
Chandler Ball’s ground ball was misplayed for an error, allowing Schlosser and Jackson to score. Garret Hotz singled with one out to re-load the bases. Sansom scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-0 and Champ Delancy brought Ball home with a single to right to make it 5-0.
The five-run cushion was more than enough for Clear Fork starter Hotz. He gave up just two hits and struck out six.
St. Marys Memorial got to Hotz for a run in the top of the third to make it 5-1, but Clear Fork scored three runs in the fourth and three more in the sixth to end it.
Schlosser and Hotz each had two hits. Schlosser tripled and drove in a run while Jacison doubled. Schlosser and Jackson each scored three runs. Lind and Sansom scored two runs apiece while Ball drove in three.
Preston Rupert and Jace Turner had hits for the Roughriders. Rupert doubled.
Clear Fork (25-4) will play Parma Padua in the regional semifinals at 5 p.m. Thursday at Bowling Green’s Carter Park. Sixth-seeded Padua beat top-seeded Rocky River 6-1 in North Ridgeville district final.