The Delphi baseball team won the Class 2A Sectional played last week at Carroll, defeating the host team 10-0 in six innings in the championship game. Team members include (l-r): Front, kneeling - Tyler Willis, Dustin Salyer, Shane Hyman, Cameron Ivey, Caleb Bieghler, A.J. Beckett, Dayton Rumell, Neil Snoeberger, Tyler Smith, Jason Stewart and Andrew Flora. Middle, standing - Asst. Coach Jeff Shuler, Asst. Coach Brody Brooks, Student Manager Stewart McVay, Travis Yoakum, Michael Myers, Dustin Oliver, Kyle Bender, Andrew Cebulla, Kory Banes, Austin Hawn, Tanner Cripe, Athletic Trainer Lisa Wilder and Asst. Coach Kyle Robertson. Back row - Asst. Coach Mike Lowrey, Head Coach Pat Lowrey, Paul Zink and Asst. Coach Ryan Finn. Photo by Bill Stauffer. Delphi's Oracles won the IHSAA Sectional 39 championship on Thursday with a 10- 0 triumph in 6 innings over cross-county rival Carroll before a huge throng of Oracle faithful. The victory marks the first baseball sectional title for the Delphi program.

After stranding 2 runners in the first the Oracles got on the board in the 2nd inning. With 1 out, AJ Beckett laced a single to center and after advancing on a passed ball, scored on Tanner Cripe's base hit to center. Andrew Flora and Austin Hawn walked to load the bases for Mike Myers. With the runners going, Myers drove the ball to left, clearing the bases, and providing the Oracles with an early 4-0 lead.

The Oracles tacked on single tallies in the 3rd and 4th as Andrew Cebulla led off the 3rd with a walk, stole 2nd, and scored on Neil Snoeberger's single to right. Hawn led off the 4th with a double down the right field line and scored on Kory Banes' single to left.

The lead became 8-0 in the 5th when Snoeberger led off with another single and Cripe followed with a sweet bunt single down the 3rd base line. Flora advanced both runners with a sacrifice and with 2 outs, Myers again delivered, driving home both runners with a single to left.

In the 6th, Dustin Oliver walked and Beckett reached on an error. After both runners advanced on a ground out, Cripe bounced a ball down the 3rd base line and the throw across the diamond was wild, allowing both runners to score and granting the Oracles the win via the 10-run rule.

Myers was 3 for 4 for the game and drove in 5 of Delphi's runs. Cripe was also 3 for 4 with 1 RBI.

Kyle Bender was masterful on the mound, allowing but 1 hit, a slow infield squibber by Carson Spesard in the 4th. A walk in the 5th and a hit batter in the 6th were the only other Cougar batters to reach. Bender struck out 8 over 6 innings of work and raised his record on the season to 10-2.

The Oracles (22-8) were hosts to conference foe Tipton (13-10) at Oracle Field on Tuesday in one game Regional play (too late for press time). The two teams split their season series, with Tipton winning 4-3 at Tipton and Delphi prevailing 10-2 at Oracle Field. The teams finished in a 2nd place tie in Hoosier Conference play behind champion West Lafayette. The winner will advance to the 2A Northern Semi-State at Covaleski Stadium in South Bend on Saturday.

Vs. Fountain Central

Last Tuesday evening found the Oracles matched up against Fountain Central in the semi-final round of IHSAA Sectional 39. The Oracles survived to advance with a 3-2 victory over the Mustangs.

Fountain Central came in with a 9-17 record on the year. They strung together 3 hits for a run in the first and the early 1-0 lead. As the game progressed, the huge crowd of Oracle fans became restless but in the 4th, Oliver led off with an infield single, and after a pair of fly ball outs, scored on Cripe's single to right to tie the game at 1-1.

Delphi was able to plate 2 more runs in the 5th when, with 2 out, Banes walked and Cebulla drove him home with a double to center. Cebulla then scored when the Mustang 3rd baseman was unable to throw out Oliver after his hot bouncer down the 3rd base line.

The Oracles carried their 3- 1 lead into the 7th and quickly retired the initial 2 batters. After a walk and an infield single, both runners advanced to 2nd and 3rd on a wild throw to 1st. A balk was called, scoring a run and advancing the game-tying runner to 3rd, but Cebulla struck out the Mustang batter and Delphi prevailed.

Cebulla, who came on in relief of Beckett in the 4th, struck out 6 over 3 2/3 innings and recorded the win, raising his record to 6-3 for the season.

The victory earned the Oracles a slot in the championship game against Carroll. The Cougars had shut out Seeger 3-0 earlier in the evening behind a strong, 11- strikeout pitching performance by Riley Eller.