District boys tennis

Mexico advances to fourth straight district title match

For the fourth straight year, Mexico boys tennis is going for a district championship.

In the Class 1 District 6 team tournament on Tuesday, the Bulldogs defeated St. Charles West (1-11) 5-4 to play reigning two-time district champion Father Tolton (18-2-2) at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at Cosmo Park in Columbia.

Mexico (7-10) won its top four singles matches, including individual sectional qualifier Brendan McKeown 6-0, 6-0; Brixton Goerne 6-4, 6-2; and Boston Davolt 6-0, 6-3. Trevor Wright's win went to a third-set tiebreaker after going 3-6 and 6-4, eventually winning the third 10-8. 

McKeown and Davolt added an 8-0 doubles victory to the team total. Goerne and Carter Blackburn and Wright and Jonathan St. Martin each lost doubles contests 9-7.

Baseball

Mexico loses to NCMC rival Fulton on walkoff

Another game against Fulton, another one-run decision.

After winning 4-3 and losing 1-0 in Mexico's previous two meetings with North Central Missouri Conference rival Fulton this season, the Bulldogs lost 4-3 at Fulton a walk-off two RBI double by Ethan Burt. The Class 4 No. 8 Fulton (16-6, 8-2 NCMC) needed three batters that each reached via a hit in the seventh inning.

Prior to that inning, Brady Fox allowed two runs and allowed the leadoff batter in the seventh to tally the eighth hit against before he was removed for Drew DeMint. 

DeMint dished out a big blow in the fourth inning with a two-RBI home run off Ethan Milius, who finished with eight strikeouts through 3 2/3 innings. That blast tied the game. 

Mexico (14-15, 3-7 NCMC) took the lead on a two-out RBI single by Ashton Belcher right after a Landon Hilderman double. 

DeMint was 2-for-4, and Jaydon Eldridge also had a double.

Mexico plays at Class 5 Capital City (20-11), who received votes in the latest state poll, at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Van-Far concludes regular season with 11-1 loss at state-ranked Cairo

Van-Far will try to stay positive heading into districts.

The Indians lost their sixth straight game to close the regular season with an 11-1 five-inning loss on Tuesday at Class 1 No. 7 Cairo. The Bearcats maintained control after a seven-run first inning. 

Van-Far (6-13) gave away a free baserunner five times -- via walk, error or hit by pitch -- in the first inning against Gage Gibson. Cairo (13-5) then came up with three RBI hits, including a two-RBI double by starting pitcher Brendan Huntsman, who finished with three RBI.

Huntsman scattered five hits in his three innings pitched, allowing one run in the second inning on a RBI single by Malik Douglas with the bases loaded. 

The Indians finished with six hits, including doubles by Gaven Gaston and Tyson Douglas.

Van-Far begins the Class 2 District 5 tournament against Eastern Missouri Conference foe Louisiana (1-14) at 5 p.m. Thursday in Silex. The Indians defeated Louisiana 15-0 in three innings earlier this season.