Richland Coasts into Championship Game

TOURNAMENT CENTRAL

MESQUITE, Texas – Dallas College Richland cruised to an 11-0 win in five innings over host Dallas College Eastfield in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III South Central District semifinals Friday.

The eighth-ranked Thunderducks (34-24) advance to Saturday's 12 p.m. championship, where they will meet the fourth-ranked Harvester Bees (45-13) again. Eastfield advanced to the championship round after knocking out Dallas College Brookhaven 12-4 in Friday's elimination round.

Richland starter Braeden Baker (3-1) went the distance, giving up three hits and a walk, while striking out four in a dominant effort to keep the fourth-ranked Harvester Bees (44-13) off balance all game. It was his first shutout.

The Thunderducks scored three runs in the second inning, using an RBI single by Connor Haelzle and a two-run single up the middle by Bobby Gutierrez to jump out to a 4-0 lead. Sean Amarante's two-run double down the right field line in the third pushed the lead to 6-0. Haelzle drove him in with a sacrifice fly.

Amarante blasted his 12^th home run of the season – a two-run shot to left in the fifth, and Gutierrez doubled in a pair to bump the lead to 11-0.

Amarante went 2 for 2 with four RBI and a walk. Gutierrez was 3 for 4 with a triple and a double and four RBI. Lukas Boone was 3 for 3 with two doubles.

The Thunderducks outhit the Bees 10-3.

Eastfield's Drew Saenz and Jayden Boyd had back-to-back singles in the fifth, but Baker got a strikeout and a double play to end it. Luke Sasser also singled in the first inning, and advanced to third on a stolen base and an error. But Baker got a double play ball to end the threat.

Richland will have an opportunity to repeat as district champs after winning last year's title. Richland beat Eastfield last year in the championship 17-4.