CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Joe Shamblin’s Walker Valley club had to win, but the coach also had to worry about pitching.

The Mustangs advanced in the District 5-AAA baseball losers-bracket with a 10-0 win over Rhea County, and they’ll play Cleveland, a 9-5 winner over Cumberland County, in a losers-bracket semifinal tonight at 8. That game will be preceded by the 5 p.m. winners-bracket final between Bradley Central and McMinn County.

“It couldn’t have worked out much better for us today,” Shamblin said after the Mustangs’ five-inning win. “We got pitching, we got hitting and we fielded the ball well except for one little miscue.”

It was a good news day all-around. Left-hander David Eskew hung a collar on Rhea County through the first three innings before giving up a looping single to center in the fourth from Devin Paschall. Eskew pitched four innings, throwing just 52 pitches in four innings of work to secure his fifth win in eight decisions. The short day enhanced the chances he’ll be available if needed before the tournament ends.

The Lee University signee had suffered some up-and-down moments earlier in the year and missed a couple of games after getting drilled by a line drive earlier in the year in a game against Cleveland. He appears, though, to be rounding into the form he showed as one of the area’s dominant pitchers a year ago, working in and out with precision against the Golden Eagles, who wound up with just two hits in five at-bats.

“It’s confidence. I think I have gotten that back,” Eskew said following his five-strikeout shutout. “I expect a lot of myself, and I had been letting the slightest little thing bother me. I’m pitching instead of worrying. I’m not worrying about the result (of a pitch), and I’m not looking ahead.”

Throwing just 52 pitches will cut his recovery time, which could be crucial if the Mustangs get into a must-win situation later this week.

“David is finally getting back in a groove. At this point of the season you have to take it a day at a time, but hopefully we’ll have the arms ready when we need them,” Shamblin said.

The Mustangs allowed Eskew the luxury of pitching without having to hang on every delivery by spotting him five first-inning runs. Eskew helped his cause with a double, but Adam Hindman led off with a home run before Cody Bureel singled a run home, and Andrew Sorah delivered a two-run single.

Jaime Harper, who was struggling with flu-like symptoms, doubled and scored in the second and then Eskew started a four-run rally in the fifth with a solo homer. Chase Morrow and Michael Coccia added run-scoring singles.

Hindman endured a midseason slump but has been a terror since moving to the leadoff spot. He finished the game 1-for-2 with two RBIs including a fifth-inning sacrifice fly.