BASEBALL: Warriors advance to Regional final

The Warriors took the first step towards a potential baseball Regional title in 2015, knocking off Johnston City 10-0 in five innings in Wednesday's semifinal at The Ballpark at Du Quoin High School.

Alex Zimmerman tossed all 5 frames for DMS and gave up just 2 hits while striking out 7, and added a pair of hits and a pair of RBIs at the plate.

"Alex Zimmerman had a great day on the mound and at the plate," said Warriors head coach Tim Craft. "I was happy to see us get good at bats against a tough pitcher. Hopefully we can keep taking good at bats and find ways to put the ball in play."

Zimmerman's RBI single in the bottom of the first plated Brian Winters, who had reached on an error, then later scored on a passed ball to give DMS a 2-0 lead.

The Warriors added to that lead an inning later when Trae Horn singled, Winters again reached on an error, and Zimmerman - again - delivered an RBI base hit to make it 4-0.

Winters (single) and Slade West (ground-out) picked up RBIs in Du Quoin's four-run fourth inning, then Tyler VanZandt and Winters drove the nail in Johnston City's coffin with RBI hits in the fifth.

Winters (2-4, 3 R, 2 RBI), Zimmerman (2-2, 2 RBI, BB), Horn (1-3, R), VanZandt (1-3, RBI) and Konner Harris (1-3, R) each had hits for the Warriors.

Du Quoin will meet the winner of Thursday's other semifinal between Benton and West Frankfort in Saturday's 10 a.m. championship game.