SMALL-SCHOOL BASEBALL: O’Connor’s perfect day at the plate leads Lynx by Mustangs

McClain O’Connor was 5-for-5 with a triple, four runs and four RBIs, and Lincoln County routed host Needles 27-3 in five innings Friday in the winners’ bracket final of the Division III Southern League baseball tournament.

Mike Wood was 3-for-4 with a triple, four runs and three RBIs, and Preston Robbins finished 3-for-4 with a double, five runs and two RBIs for the Lynx (21-4-1), who scored 12 runs in the second inning and pounded out 27 hits in all.

Lincoln County will meet the Mustangs for the region championship at 10 a.m. on Saturday at Needles. The Mustangs (16-9-1), who worked their way back through the losers’ bracket, must defeat Lincoln County twice to claim the title.

Christian Florence was 3-for-4 and scored four runs, while Derek Shumway, Paul Boag and Nick Vincent each had two hits for the Lynx.

Colton Johnson drove in two runs for Lincoln County.

Needles 13, The Meadows 1 — Mason Paget had three hits and three RBIs as Needles bounced back to knock out The Meadows (19-8-1) in five innings.

Aidan Shaver and Trenton Poe-Evans each had three hits for Needles.

The Meadows 15, Mountain View 5 — Ian Onufrieff had three hits and three RBIs to help the Mustangs eliminate the Saints in five innings.

Adam Martinez added three hits, and Jacob Gleason had three RBIs for The Meadows. Drake Gordon allowed nine hits, but struck out nine for the Mustangs.

Ian Locke had three hits, and Josh Stanton had three RBIs for Mountain View (8-13).