Baseball: Cougars win sectional title

VW independent sports

BRYAN — Luke Wessell shut down Bryan and received plenty of help at the plate as No. 4 seed Van Wert won the Division II sectional championship with an 8-0 victory over the Golden Bears on Friday.

Wessell pitched a complete game and allowed just four hits while striking out eight and walking two.

Briston Wise had three hits, including a second inning RBI triple that scored Damon McCracken and a fifth inning two-RBI double that scored Turner Witten and Wessell, giving the Cougars a 6-0 lead. Ethan Rupert had a sixth inning triple that plated TJ Stoller and Kaiden Bates. Van Wert’s remaining run came in the second inning when Wise scored on a single by Stoller.

The Cougars (14-8) will face No. 2 seed Napoleon in the district semifinals at 6 p.m. Thursday at Memorial Park in Archbold. The Wildcats defeated Toledo Central Catholic 11-7 on Friday.