By Cort Reynolds

CAREY__ The visiting Bluffton High School baseball team won its Div. III sectional semifinal game over Carey 5-1 Wednesday evening, May 15.

The Pirates improved to 10-10 with the victory and advanced to the sectional finals. 

Ninth-seeded Bluffton will play at top seed Coldwater (21-4) Friday, May 17 at 5 p.m. in the sectional finals. The Cavaliers finished third in the MAC at 6-3.

The winner advances to the Elida district semifinals May 23.

Winning pitcher Tyler Cupples hurled a complete-game six-hitter to shut down the Blue Devils. He allowed one earned run and struck out seven with no walks.

Cupples threw 97 pitches over seven innings, with 66 going for strikes or put in play.

CONTINUES

The Pirates jumped ahead with single runs in each of the first two frames. One run in the fourth and two more in the sixth built a commanding 5-0 bulge. 

Carey avoided a shutout by mustering its lone run in the bottom of the seventh.

Leadoff hitter Luke Jebsen smacked two doubles, scored a run and drove in one to ignite the Pirate offense. 

Right fielder Garret Bogart stroked two singles, scored two runs and had one RBI.

DH Brody Anderson contributed two singles. 

Bluffton left 11 runners on base, while Carey stranded seven. The Pirates out-hit Carey, 9-6. The Devils committed two errors, while Bluffton made none.

Bluffton also beat Riverdale 3-2 at Fifth Third Bank Park in Toledo at the Mud Hens facility Tuesday evening.

WP-Cupples LP-Plott

2B-Jebsen 2 (B), Jordan (B)