Cashion 1 win shy of state tournament

A big benefit of Cashion’s synthetic turf baseball field?

It can handle a couple bouts of rainfall and still be playable.

That was the case Thursday as the Wildcats were one of few locales in the area still able to host an event after rain pushed its way through the state.

And, when action did begin, Cashion was unstoppable.

Seventh-ranked Cashion was just one win away from the 2A state tournament after a pair of shutout wins on Thursday.

Cashion beat Colbert 11-0 in the opener.

The Wildcats came back later in the evening to shut down No. 10 Panama, 8-0.

Panama had opened the regional with a 16-8 victory over Howe.

Howe later defeated Colbert 8-7 in an elimination game.

That set up Friday’s matchup between Panama and Howe for the right to face Cashion later in the day (after press time) in the regional championship.

The Howe-Panama winner would need to beat Cashion twice to win the regional whereas Cashion needs just one win.

The Wildcats were 27-7 after Thursday’s win.

They haven’t given up a run in the playoffs as they beat Hinton 9-0 and 3-0 in their district.

Cashion is looking for its third consecutive trip to state.

The Wildcats were semifinalists in 2022 and quarterfinalists in 2021.