Rusk senior Landon Gates (11) takes a swing during the first inning of a home game against Palestine in this April 14 file photo.

Rusk scored a run in the top of the first inning with an RBI by Wade Williams.

China Spring answered with a run in the bottom of the second inning. That was the last run from either team until the 13th inning when Rusk won 3-1.

China Spring loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth inning, but Rusk got out of it.

Vanderbilt commit JD Thompson pitched eight innings until he hit the pitch limit threshold with 114 pitches. Thompson allowed an unearned run on one hit with 12 strikeout and no walks. Mason Cirkel came in to relieve Thompson and allowed four hits with a strikeout and three walks in five innings.

Alex Martinez pitched 5.2 innings for China Spring (27-5-2) and allowed one run on two hits with 10 strikeouts and one walk while throwing 99 pitches. Kolby Killough pitched six no-hit innings of relief with six strikeouts and one walk. Tristan Pechacek came in and took the loss.

Thompson had a triple for one of three Rusk hits in the game.

Killough and Brayden Faulkner each had two hits for China Spring.

Rusk (25-7) advances to face either Orangefield or Hardin-Jefferson.

Alto 10, Centerville 4

MADISONVILLE — Cody Watson was 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs as Alto scored nine runs in the first four innings to take a 10-4 win over Centerville in Game 1 of a regional quarterfinal series.

Watson also pitched all seven innings and allowed four unearned runs on 10 hits with five strikeouts and two walks.

Jackson Duplichain added two hits for Alto (24-7), and Matthew Randall drove in two runs.

Kasen Jeitz, Halston French and Canon Early all had two hits for Centerville (20-5-1).

Game 2 of the series will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Rusk.

The winner of the series will advance to face Rivercrest.

CLASS 5A

HALLSVILLE 9, MARSHALL 1: MARSHALL – Tyler Lee drove in three runs with a couple of hits, Landon Bowden struck out 12 in six strong innings of work on the mound and the Hallsville Bobcats completed a sweep of District 15-5A rival Marshall in a regional quarterfinal playoff series.

Bowden walked one and allowed three hits. Brayden Hodges worked one scoreless inning, striking out one.

Tanner Benson and Conner Stewart both doubled for Hallsville. Brayden Walker had two hits, and Benson and Stewart drove in two runs apiece.

Jacob Oden singled and drove in a run in the loss for Marshall.

CLASS 3A

E. FIELDS 5, N. DIANA 2: BULLARD – Ryan Wilkerson scattered six hits and allowed just one earned run in a complete game on the mound while doing major damage at the plate for Elysian Fields as the Yellowjackets opened a regional quarterfinal series with a 5-2 win over New Diana.

Wilkerson struck out four with no walks for the pitching win. At the plate, he homered, singled and drove in three runs. Jase Greenslate and Landon Swank both doubled for Elysian Fields. Logan Presley had two hits and an RBI, and Swank also drove in a run.

John Lutrell doubled and singled, and Elliot Foreman drove in a run in the loss for New Diana. Zachary Malone struck out five and walked on in the pitching loss.

The teams at slated to meet back at Brook Hill at 7 p.m. tonight.

CLASS 2A

MCLEOD 3, HAWKINS 0: BULLARD – McLeod scored lone runs in three different innings and held Hawkins to a pair of hits to earn a 3-0 win over the Hawks in the opener of a best-of-three regional quarterfinal playoff series.

Zach Conde struck out seven, walked two and gave up two earned runs in the loss for Hawkins. Conde and Braden Adams had the only hits for Hawkins – both singles.