Caught 'im lookin' Warrior catcher Lando Bass holds the ball he has just received from pitcher Chris Maddox. It was the last pitch of the game as the Greyhounds batter was caught napping. Moments later the umpire called the man out ending the game with the Warriors on top 6-1, advancing them to the 3A-3 district tournament final against Manila Tuesday afternoon. The game will be a rematch of a controversial game some two weeks ago. (Tribune photo/Dan Brawner)

It wasn't until the third inning that the EPC punched across their first run in their 3A-3 district conference tournament semi-final match with Marmaduke Monday afternoon at Brookland. But once they started scoring, the Warriors didn't let up as they took the contest 6-1 to set up a conference finals game with Manila last night (Tuesday).

"Chris (Maddox) was just outstanding," said coach Brian Weathers of his star pitcher's effort. "His arm has been dragging a lot with the rains and all because we had to pitch him so much. But he got a full seven days rest before this game and you could tell it. His pitching was sharp and he had a smooth release on the ball the whole game."

A precursor to the three-run third inning was the second stanza which produced no runs for the Warriors, but showed them what they could do as they ended the inning with the bases loaded.

By the start of the bottom of the third, the EPC batting order had come around again putting Brett Hardin in the box. He responded with a single to short right field. Matt Powell then came up and followed suit, sending Hardin to second.

Maddox, never satisfied to just settle for outstanding pitching, hit the third single in a row, scoring Hardin and giving the Warriors a lead they would never relinquish. Carson Tyler was next up in the clean-up position, doing just that as he slammed two-bagger into deep center sending Powell and Maddox home for a 3-0 lead.

Brett Hardin follows through on one of his hits during the Warriors-Greyhounds game Monday afternoon in the semi-final game at Highland. The senior is playing in his last season for the Warriors. (Tribune photo/Dan Brawner)

The inning closed with two more Warriors stranded, but EPC had firmly planted themselves in the cat bird seat. Then after a scoreless fourth inning, the Warriors solidified that lead even more. But not before, the Greyhounds finally put a run across home to cut the lead 3-1.

Tyler led off the bottom of the fifth with his second double of the game. Bass then knocked him home followed by Bass himself scoring on a Dustin Beatty sacrifice for a 5-1 lead.

The bottom of the sixth saw Maddox knock in Hardin once more, ending the scoring and the game 6-1.

Tyler finished the game going a perfect 4 for 4 with two doubles, two RBIs and one run scored. Four batters finished at 2 for 4, Hardin adding two runs and a stolen base, Powell and Maddox tacking on two and one runs respectively and Lando Bass also had a run and an RBI. Chris Carter closed out the hitting with a 1 for 3 effort.

Maddox gave up one run on four hits and one walk while striking out 11.

"At the plate we finally took care of business," concluded Weathers. "We put the ball on the bat and that spelled the difference."

EPC has already qualified for the regional tournament to be held in Cave City beginning Saturday.