MALDEN - The East Prairie Eagles advanced to the district championship game for the first time since 1996 as they posted two victories on Saturday in Malden in the Class 2, District 1 Tournament.
Second-seeded East Prairie defeated Senath-Hornersville 11-4 in a game that was picked up after darkness ended it on Monday.
East Prairie then held off Portageville in the second game 11-8.
East Prairie (18-2) will play top-seeded South Pemiscot today at 4:30 in the championship game.
East Prairie hasn't won a district championship since 1995.
"These were two big wins, especially the Portageville win," said East Prairie coach Jason Aycock.
"I've told the guys the goal all year is to play in the district championship and win it. It's very exciting for all of us and exciting for East Prairie."
In East Prairie's first game, Caleb Hatton got the win in relief, throwing 3 2/3 innings and allowing two walks and one hit.
East Prairie was led offensively by Tyler Branum (2-3, HR, 2 RBIs), Hunter Jones (2-3, RBI), Preston Shoemaker (3-4, RBI), Ben Walters (2-3, RBI), Danny Bright (2-4, RBI) and Taylor White (2-4, RBI).
Zach Secoy, Hatton and William O'Guin each had one hit.
Against Portageville, East Prairie led 11-2 and fought off a six-run rally by the Bulldogs in the seventh inning.
Walters threw all seven innings, striking out eight and allowing four walks. He allowed two hits through the first six innings before giving up five in the seventh.
Andrew Deere got the loss for Portageville.
Walters was 3-3 with two RBIs. Others were Shoemaker (1-4, 2 RBIs), Bright (1-2, 2 RBIs), O'Guin (1-3), Secoy (1-2, RBI) and Hatton (1-2, 2 RBIs).
Portageville was led by Jordan Penn's two home runs. Deere, Casey Ash, Rhodes, Cook and Chamberlain each had one hit.
St. Vincent upset top-seeded Kelly 5-4 in eight innings on a game-winning, bases-loaded walk to advance to the championship game. The fifth-seeded Indians (10-12) loaded the bases in top of the extra frame, then Brian Buchheit took a walk to score Kyle Kline, the eventual game-
winning run.
Both Buchheit and pitcher Alex Armbruster had two hits. St. Vincent will take on No. 3 Scott City in the championship game Thursday at 4 p.m. at Scott City.
Scott City (8-10) used a team effort at the plate and a solid outing from hurler Mark Johnston to defeat No. 2 Crystal City 7-2.
Johnston struck out seven batters and gave up only four hits. Kyle Curry and Andy Stephens had two hits apiece.
Upsets ruled during the semifinals of the tournament at Leopold as fourth-
seeded Oak Ridge beat top-seeded Saxony Lutheran 5-3 and sixth-seeded Valley of Caledonia routed second-seeded Leopold 11-3.
Oak Ridge erased a 3-2 deficit by scoring three runs in the top of the sixth inning. Austin Morrison had two hits for the Blue Jays (9-10), who finished with seven hits.
Austin Hahs pitched 5 1/3 innings for the victory, and Morrison hurled the final 1 1/3 innings for a save.
Kory Mueller and Ben Courtois both had two of the six hits for Saxony (11-5). Courtois suffered the loss.
Valley scored four runs in the top of the first inning and never looked back, leading 9-0 before Leopold (10-9) finally got on the board on of a three-run, sixth-inning homer by Michael Vandeven.
Vandeven went 3-for-3, but the Wildcats had just five hits. Eric Seiler suffered the loss. Kris Kearns and Michael Dodd both had three of Valley's 11 hits, and Kearns recorded the victory.
Oak Ridge and Valley will play at 4 p.m. Thursday for the title.
SPRINGFIELD --
Sikeston senior E.C. Atchison improved on his first round score in the Class 3 golf championship, but it wasn't enough to medal at Springfield's Rivercut Golf Course.
Atchison finished 21st, but only the top 15 placers receive medals and all-
state status.
Atchison shot an 82 the first day and came back with a 77 on Tuesday for a total of 159.
He finished two strokes from tying for 13th place.
Atchison finished in 12th place last year to earn a medal.