From Staff Reports

St. Aloysius had its winning streak rudely interrupted on Friday.

East Webster hammered St. Al ace Ryno Martin-Nez for eight hits and seven runs in less than three innings, and the defending Class 1A champions cruised to an 11-4 win in Game 1 of a third-round playoff series.

East Webster, which snapped St. Al’s 10-game winning streak, can finish the sweep and advance to the South State finals by winning Game 2 tonight at Warren Central’s Viking Field. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. If St. Al can force a Game 3, it will be back at East Webster on Monday night.

The Wolverines jumped on St. Al early Friday and never let up. After Mark Stewart’s first-inning home run staked them to a 2-0 lead, the Wolverines blew it open with five runs in the third. Three straight singles started the rally and brought in one run, and Tanner Robertson’s one-out single plated two more. After a walk, Jordan Mixon brought in another run with a base hit to put East Webster ahead 7-0 and chase Martin-Nez.

Ryno Martin-NezSt. Al (23-6) got as close as 8-3 in the fifth, but East Webster (20-8) scored three insurance runs in the sixth to salt away the victory.

Martin-Nez hit a solo homer in the seventh for the Flashes’ final run, and finished with two hits. Sean Weaver also had two hits, including a double, and Joseph Brown threw 3 1/3 innings of solid relief in his first outing of the postseason. Brown relieved Martin-Nez in the third.

Taylor Williams and Reggie Obriant had three hits apiece for East Webster, and Jonathen Banks doubled. In addition to his home run, Stewart shackled St. Al on the mound. He allowed four hits and no walks in seven strong innings.