Drew Ownby pitches Marion into final

Marion County's Drew Ownby won the district game last week that allowed his team to advance to the Region 3-A baseball semifinals.

The senior left-hander's sixth win put the Warriors in Wednesday's championship final.

"He has thrown it well every time out," Marion coach Tony Long said.

It was as much his sneaky throw to first - he picked off two Boyd-Buchanan runners in the first inning - as the looping curveball that made his fastball look even faster.

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"The pickoffs in the first were big," said Boyd-Buchanan coach Josh Rider. "We get the first four guys on base and don't score. We could have had them on the ropes. After that we got a few hits, but we couldn't piece anything together."

Ownby went the distance, scattering six hits and benefited greatly from a double play by freshman left fielder Bayley Barmore. Barmore caught a fly ball going away from him toward the line and then threw to second in time to double up the runner.

The Warriors also got a big hit from first baseman Cameron Sanders. He went 3-for-3 with a two-run homer in the top of the sixth, breaking open a one-run game.

Marion will play Wednesday at South Pittsburg and is guaranteed a berth in Friday's sectional games.

Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765.

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