By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

PROCTORVILLE — The Fairland Dragons had played 20 games before Friday’s Division III sectional finals.

They decided they’d like to try and play a few more.

Fairland used the five-hit pitching of Alex Thackston to beat the Portsmouth West Senators 3-1 and advanced to the district tournament.

“The kids played well. They didn’t want to end it tonight. They wanted to go on,” said Fairland coach Bryan Ward.

Thackston helped prolong the season as he struck out 10 and walked just one.

“Thackston was on his A-game. He mowed them down pretty well,” said Ward.

All the scoring was done in the fourth inning.

West took a 1-0 led when Adam Bricker doubled and Kyle Auger singled.

But Fairland answered in the bottom of the inning with three runs.

Eric Riley and Chad Fisher began the inning with walks. Josh Ross had a long single as both runners scored and Matt Campbell followed with an RBI double that scored pinch-runner Cody Midkiff.

Thackston was 2-3 while Bricker was 2-3 for West.

Fairland (14-7) faces Adena at 5 p.m. on Wednesday at Athens High School. Adena beat West Union 10-1.

Portsmouth West 000 100 0 = 1 5 1

Fairland 000 300 x = 3 5 1

Anthony Knittel, Adam Bricker (5) and Kyle Auger. Alex Thackston and Josh Ross. W-Thackston (K-11, BB-1, ER-1). L-Knittel (K-3, BB-2, H-3, R-3). Bricker K-0, BB-0. 2B-West: Adam Bricker; Fairland: Josh Ross, Matt Campbell, Alex Thackston. Hitting-West: Adam Bricker 2-3, Daulton Kenyon 1-4, Taylor Bailey 1-3, Kyle Auger 1-3 rbi; Fairland: Jon Baise 1-3, Alex Thackston 2-3, Josh Ross 1-3 rbi-1, Matt Campbell 1-3 rbi.