ORAN CLUBS ADVANCE 6-3 FOR DISTRICT TITLE

ORAN -- It's called busting out the big sticks.

That's what the state-ranked Oran Eagles did this week to win their fourth Class 1A, District 2 title in the last five years.

After accumulating nine home runs in the regular season, top-seed Oran matched that total in its final two district games, including three homers in Friday's 6-3 championship win over second-seed Advance.

Oran junior Dustin Dannenmueller tripled his season home-run output with two, two-run home runs in each of the first two innings after hitting only one round-tripper in the regular season. Jeff Shafer had the other Oran home run off Advance starter Chris Wallace.

"I'm tickled to death," said Oran coach Mitch Wood, still wet from two water-cooler dousings by his players. "You hope for your kids to get up and have good games during this part of the season."

The Eagles, ranked third in Class 1A, improved to 20-3 and will meet another state-ranked team -- fourth-ranked Holcomb -- Thursday in Oran at 2 p.m. Holcomb beat Gideon on Thursday for the District 1 championship.

Advance, one victory away from matching the school record for wins in a season, completed the year at 17-5.

"They beat us three times this year and we've only lost five games," said Advance coach Chuck Powers. "Each time we played them, the next game was tougher for them to get us."

Despite Oran's early power display, this contest came down to the final controversial out. With two outs and the Hornets' Tyler Hitt on second base, Garrett Broshuis chopped a grounder past the diving glove of Oran third baseman Justin Wierman. Hitt was moving to third on the play, but the ball struck him for what appeared to be the third out to end the game.

Oran's players started the victory celebration, splashing Wood with a small cooler of water, but Powers wasn't ready to throw in the towel. He had his runners, which advanced to second and third on the play, stay on their respective bases while he disputed the umpire's ruling.

"The rule states, `If (the ball) passes any fielder and it hits a baserunner, it's a live ball situation," Powers explained. "In (the umpires') opinion, even though it passed the third baseman, they felt the shortstop, if it had not hit the runner, would have had a chance to make the play and throw him out at first (base) so they ruled it a dead ball."

Justin McAlister, playing shortstop at the time, was moving in on the ball and may have had an opportunity to make a play deep in the hole.

Said Powers: "If the umpire would have felt the shortstop didn't have a chance to throw him out, then we would have had another chance to go ahead and win the ballgame."

After about 10 minutes of debate, the ruling stood and the Eagles drenched their coach again. This time, with three players holding him down, a bigger water cooler was used.

"Last year we came into the finals 18-1, we thought we were pretty good ... and got beat," said Wood, referring to last year's squad that also played as the tourney's top seed. "This year, we still thought we were pretty good, but we took care of business like we should have."

After rolling past overmatched Scott County Central 17-0 Monday, the Eagles blasted six home runs Tuesday to avenge last year's title-game loss to Valle of Ste. Genevieve 13-3.

"We're hitting the ball well, but I'm glad districts are over with so maybe we'll settle down a little bit," Wood said. "We usually hit line drives and ground balls; we're kind of swinging up at the ball."

Both teams had six hits. Wierman roped an RBI double in the second inning preceding Dannenmueller's second home run that chased Wallace from the mound with Oran ahead 6-2 in the second inning.

Broshuis pitched 4-1/3 innings of relief, allowing only one hit on two days rest. The Hornets' Alan Stevens went 2-for-2.

Dannenmueller also pitched two scoreless innings in relief of McAlister, who allowed only one earned run.