The Orchard Farm eagles are headed back to the Final Four for the first time since claiming the Class 3 State Championship in 2012.
The 2026 team overpowered Mexico 13-3, with two monster innings Thursday night in Class 4 Quarterfinal action, to advance to Ozark for a chance at a state title.
Mexico opened the scoring with three runs in the bottom of the first when Colton Dickey singled with one out and then advanced on a two-base error by Eagle left-fielder Ryan Goldstein. Drew DeMint then doubled him in for an rbi and Brady Fox followed with an rbi double of his own. Third-baseman Zach Jahn added to the lead with a solid rbi single and just like that, four batters in, Mexico had a 3-0 lead.
However, OCHS starting pitcher Ty Thorp rebounded as he got Kaden benne to ground into a 3-6 double play as Titus Fisher stepped on first and threw to second for the tag.
The Eagles then responded with five runs of their own in the top of the second as they sent 10 men to the plate. The rally was helped by several Bulldog miscues in the field. Shortstop Brady Rosenburg reached an on error by MHS shortstop Chance McCarty to open the frame. Right-fielder Blake Ditmeyer then unloaded on a ball to left field for a two-run momentum that stunned Mexico. Benne gave up a sharp single but then got a 4-6-3 double play and looked like he had righted himself and might get out of the inning. Instead, he gave up a single to Titus Fisher, before walking three straight batters and then giving up a single to Max Kelch. Rosenburg then flied to center to end the rally he started.
Mexico’s Pearson Kleinsorge started the second with a sharp single. After Bradyen Arnold’s sacrifice, Thorpe got two ground ball outs to get out of the inning.
Benne gave up a lead-off single in the third but pitched around it and the score remained 5-3 after two-and-a-half.
MHS threatened again in the third, as a single by Dickey and walk to DeMint put two on with nobody out, and Eagle coach Branden Sugar had seen enough as he brought in Graham Rollins in relief. Rollins got three straight ground balls and got out of the inning unscathed.
Orchard Farms batted around again in the 4th, as they scored seven times on three hits, four walks and two errors.
Rollins held Mexico in check the rest of the way, and a fifth inning run by OCHS ended it with the 10-run rule in the 5th.
The Eagles will play next week at Ozark Mountain Sports Complex in Ozark in the semi-finals against Westminster Christian or Cape Girardeau Notre Dame.