Dover drops regional opener

Jackson O’Kelly and Casen Buck were locked in a serious pitcher’s duel.

In the end, it was O’Kelly and the Moss Pirates who got the win.

Buck’s wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning allowed a run to score as No. 11 Moss knocked off sixth-ranked Dover 2-1 in a Class B regional opener at Stuart.

The loss didn’t eliminate Dover’s chances of advancing to state.

The Longhorns needed two wins on Friday - both after press time - to reach the Class B fall state tournament for the first time since 2010.

Dover played Boswell at 2 p.m. in an elimination game.

A win there would earn Dover a rematch against Moss, which lost 9-1 Thursday night in the regional championship game to No. 6 Stuart.

That win advanced Stuart to state.

Buck gave up just four hits in the game. Two of those came in the third inning when Garrett Lagrone led off with a double and scored two batters later on Tate Keesee’s hit.

Buck got out of the inning with a double play and then tied it up in the sixth inning.

Buck had his own leadoff single that inning and advanced to third on A.J. Avila’s double.

Brennan Fletcher’s follow-up single scored Buck.

That came with one out and Dover eventually loaded the bases before the Pirates escaped with a pickoff and a strikeout.

Dover threatened again in the top of the seventh when Buck singled.

Hunter Miller tried to score from second base, but was thrown out at home.

In the bottom half of the frame, the Pirates got a one-out walk and that batter eventually got to third on an error before the wild pitch allowed the winning run.

Buck struck out four batters and walked one.

Dover got eight hits off O’Kelly, but also struck out seven times.

Buck had three of the hits.

Boswell lost its opening game 16-2 to Stuart.