From staff reports

Clutch hitting and a dominating pitching performance have the St. Aloysius Flashes one win away from advancing in the Class 1A state playoffs.

Blake Haygood went 3-for-4 and Ryno Martin-Nez had three hits and pitched a complete game as the Flashes (22-5) beat Ethel 12-1. Game 2 of the best-of-three series is scheduled for tonight at 6 at Warren Central’s Viking Field.

“Blake Haygood had some clutch hits and he is starting to heat up,” Flashes coach Clint Wilkerson said of the former reserve who has started of late. “When the nine-hole guy gets three clutch hits, good things are going to happen.”

St. Al took a 3-0 lead against Ethel’s Aaron Blaine, then knocked the Tigers’ ace out of the game with a six-run fourth inning. The Flashes added three runs in the top of the sixth inning and the game ended by way of the mercy rule after six.

Ethel scored its lone run in the third inning, and Martin-Nez worked out of several jams.

“He had a couple bases-loaded jams with no outs. He bowed his neck and got out of them,” Wilkerson said.

Martin-Nez improved to 8-2 on the year and struck out 12. Pierson Waring doubled in the victory.

Today’s gamesSt. Al hosts Ethel, 6 p.m., at Warren CentralWarren Central vs. Grenada, 1 p.m., at DeSoto Central

Rain postpones Warren Central game

Warren Central is scheduled to play Grenada today at 1 after the opener was washed away by rain in the Southaven area.

The winner of today’s afternoon game will turn around and play host DeSoto Central at 6 in the double-elimination tournament.

Two games are scheduled for Saturday and one, if necessary, is scheduled for Sunday.