Cashion back in baseball state semifinals

Cashion’s dominance in the 2025 baseball playoffs continued in the first round of the state tournament.

The third-ranked Wildcats run-ruled No. 6 Dibble 10-0 in five innings Thursday in a Class 2A-I state quarterfinal at Seminole State College.

The win advanced Cashion to the semifinals for the fourth consecutive year. The Wildcats were set to play No. 2 Calera in Friday’s semifinals after press time of this edition.

After threatening - but failing - to score in the first inning, the Wildcats didn’t let opportunities escape them over the next two frames.

Cashion plated five runs in the second inning - despite getting just one hit.

The Wildcats added five more in the third inning.

The second inning hit came off Zach Sisson’s bat as his triple plated a run to complete Cashion’s early surge.

Rival Fields’ sacrifice bunt brought home a Cashion run while an error led to two more Wildcat scores.

The third inning output saw four hits, including a two-run double by Fields, an RBI single from Brody Nichols and an RBI triple off Ryder Lykins’ bat.

Six different Wildcats combined for Cashion’s six overall hits.

Fields led the team with 3 RBIs while Sisson added two.

Kyle Yowell and Maxx Higdon both scored twice for Cashion, which improved to 31-3 on the season.

Nichols only needed one run of support on the mound.

He improved to 7-2 on the season as he gave up just three hits and struck out four batters in 3 2/3 innings.

Lykins handled the final 1 1/3 innings and only surrendered one hit while striking out one.

Entering Friday, Cashion has yet to give up a run in these playoffs.

The Wildcats won their three regional games by a combined 44-0.

Cashion was knocked out in the semifinals in both 2022 and 2023, but advanced to the title game for the first time ever last season before being defeated by Oktaha for the title.

Calera (31-4) downed No. 7 Latta 11-1 in their quarterfinal matchup.

Other first-round games saw No. 9 Oktaha knock off No. 1 Dale 10-6 and fifthranked Preston beat No. 4 Panama 6-1.

The championship game is set for noon Saturday at Shawnee High School.