By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PROCTORVILLE — It’s hard to beat a team three times in one season. But it’s not impossible.

The Fairland Dragons beat the Rock Hill Redmen twice in the regular season 16-2 and 7-2. It was so easy on Thursday but the Dragons used the pitching of Brycen Hunt to edge the Redmen 3-2 to win the Division 3 sectional title.

Fairland will play Zane Trace at 4 p.m. on Tuesday at Veterans Stadium in Chillicothe.

Hunt threw a complete game as he gave up just 4 hits, struck out 9, walked 3 and both runs were earned.

Dawson Lewis pitched well in defeat as he gave up just 6 hits over 6 innings. He struck out 6, walked 4 and all 3 runs were earned.

Fairland (11-14) got a run in the second inning when Garrett Cornwell singled, stole second, took third on a ground out and scored on a hit by Cyrus Cummings.

The Dragons got what proved to be the winning runs in the fourth inning.

Alex Morgan and Ethan Wall walked to start the inning and moved up on a ground out. Luke Brown then singled to right field driving in both runners.

Rock Hill mounted a rally in the top of the seventh only to fall a run short.

Dylan Griffith singled and Lewis and Brady Cremeens both walked to start the inning.

After a strikeout, Jayson McFann singled home a run and Drew Schug walked to load the bases. Braxton Harper hit into a fielder’s choice as a run scored.

But Hunt got a strikeout to end the game and win the sectional title,

Wall was 1-1, Brown 1-3 with 2 RBI, Cummings 1-3 with an RBI, Keegan Smith 1-3 and Hunt 1-3 to account for the Fairland offense.

Griffith was 2-3, McFann 1-3 with an RBI, and Lewis 1-2 for the Redmen (8-13).

Rock Hill   000 000 2 = 2 4 0

Fairland   010 200 x = 3 6 0

Dawson Lewis and Drew Schug. Brycen Hunt and Cyrus Cummings. W-Hunt (IP-7.0, H-4, R-2, ER-2, K-9, BB-3, WP-1). L-Lewis (IP-6.0, R-3, ER-3, K-6, BB-4). Hitting-Rock Hill: Dylan Griffith 2-3, Dawson Lewis 1-2, Jayson McFann 1-3 RBI; Fairland: Brycen Hunt 1-3, Ethan Wall 1-1, Garrett Cornwell 1-3, Luke Brown 1-3 2-RBI, Cyrus Cummings 1-3 RBI, Keegan Smith 1-2.