RCHS advances to first-ever baseball state finals

The Randolph County High School Tigers defeated Mars Hill Bible two games to none on Friday in Wedowee to advance to the class 2A state finals.

It is the first state finals appearance in baseball for the Tigers, who also reached the semifinals in 2013.

RCHS won the first game 13-2 in five innings, thanks to a 10-run outburst in the bottom of the fourth. RCHS sent 16 hitters to plate in the inning and got eight hits, two walks and two hit batsmen to fuel the rally.

Hunter Ray went 2-for-2 with three RBI in the inning and finished the game 3-for-4 at the plate. Lane Henderson was 3-for-3 with a pair of RBI singles in the contest.

Elijah McFarland went four strong innings on the mound to earn the win.

RCHS clinched the series with a 3-1 win in game two thanks a strong pitching performance from Danny Simpson and a pair of RBI singles in the fifth inning by McFarland and Eric Henderson.

Simpson went the distance and allowed two hits and one unearned run to go along with six strikeouts.

RCHS will face Mobile Christian in the state finals beginning Wednesday at 4 p.m. in Montgomery.