VIAN- The Vian Wolverines made it 11 in-a-row Monday afternoon as they defeated the Poteau Pirates 11-10 in a back-and-forth affair.

In the bottom of the second Vian opened the scoring when after a single by Connor Collins and a Destry Bethel double, Riley Ellis followed with a single scoring Collins and Bethel to give the Wolverines a 2-0 lead after two innings.

The Pirates responded in the top of the fourth with an opening double by Kord Fenton. Bethel then struck out the next two Pirates but couldn’t close out the inning.

With 2 outs, Holden Mattox walked in front of 3 more consecutive Poteau hits.  A double by Logan Walker that scored Fenton and a single by Aiden Sockey that scored Mattox to tie the game at 2 each.

A Pierce Ballard single then scored Walker to put Poteau up by a run 3-2.

That lead would last until the first batter in the bottom of the inning, Connor Collins, cleared the center field fence for a game tying home run.

The back-and-forth battle continued in the fifth inning Kix Fenton scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Calloway Warren putting the Pirates back on top 4-3.

Brandon Redburn came home on a Diego Ramos single in the bottom of the inning, and we were all tied up once again.

After the Pirates went up once again in the sixth it appeared Vian finally broke through, scoring 6 runs in the bottom of the sixth. Dreighton Fletcher, Redburn, Connor Collins, and Riley Ellis all doubled in the inning contributing to what appeared to be the runaway rally for the Wolverines who now led 11-5 after six innings.

Poteau’s final at bat answered the Vian rally with singles by Jagger Dodson and Fenton, and doubles by Warren, Coby Bell, and Sockey that scored 5 runs and got the Pirates within 1 run, 11-10.

With Kaden Fulbright on the hill for the Wolverines, the next two batters reached via a hit batter and a walk to put the tying run in scoring position. Michael Polecat came in in relief of Fulbright to get the final out and secure the 1 run 11-10 win for Vian.

Redburn and Connor Collins were both 3-for-4 including doubles for each and the home run for Collins. Fenton, Warren, and Walker each had multi-hit efforts for Poteau.

Vian is scheduled to open their 2023 regional tournament series in Preston Thursday against Pocola. The Pirates will face Wagoner Thursday afternoon at 1:30 in their 4A regional bracket at Cushing.