University School of Jackson starting pitcher Jared Davis was perfect through three innings, and the Bruins already had scored five runs.
USJ won 5-1, but the Bruins were no-hit by Ripley reliever Miller Lane in the final three innings after scoring three runs in the bottom of the third. One Bruin batter walked in that stretch.
"They're teenagers," Dyer said. "When a pitcher's dealing like Jared is throwing, I mean he was throwing well today, they know it.
"These guys are not baseball dumb. They know he was throwing well, so they probably got a little relaxed. I'm fixing to talk to them about that."
The Tigers (21-17) didn't do much hitting either.
After Ripley manufactured a run in the top of the fourth, the team hit two singles the rest of the game.
Jacoby Harris beat a throw to first for an infield hit, and Ryan Seaton singled past second off USJ reliever Preston Overbey, who pitched the seventh.
Both teams are still in the hunt for the state championship. USJ hosts Hillcrest (7-10) at 4 p.m. Friday, and Ripley travels to Carver (18-0) in Memphis.
History says the two teams shouldn't have trouble in sectionals. Ridgeway, in 2003, was the last Region 8-AA (Memphis-area) team to make the state tournament.
The games between Region 7-AA and Region 8-AA usually aren't close, either.
USJ beat Westwood 17-0 last year, and Dyer County won at Sheffield 15-0.
Covington beat Hillcrest 24-0 in the Vikings' last trip to sectionals in 2006. Ripley beat Hillcrest 18-0 in 2005.
USJ still wanted the chance to host and didn't want a loss in the region final.
"You don't want to back into nothing," Dyer said. "You want to keep your momentum going and your desire to win."
Davis pitched well and first baseman John Wills provided a big part of the USJ offense to make sure USJ continued its postseason run.
Wills' two-run single to left with the bases loaded in the first put USJ up early. Davis doubled over the right fielder in the third and scored when the next batter, Benjie Fesmire, doubled to deep right-center field.
"When you think of baseball players - guys that can roll out of bed and hit - John Wills is one of them guys," Dyer said.
Wills said he didn't think the team relaxed with the lead. And the players wanted to win.
"You always want to win," Wills said. "When you win, it's that much better."
Danny Grimm went 2-for-4 and Clayton Gant was 2-for-3 for USJ.
Five runs of offense should win a game, Wills said, with the way the USJ pitching staff has thrown this year. In fact, he said he's seen Davis pitch better.
Davis (8-1) struck out seven, hit one batter and gave up two hits in six innings.
He said his change-up worked well, forcing several ground outs.
"We have a good enough defense to keep us in it in the postseason," Davis said. "I think we'll get more hits as the (post)season goes on, too."
Ripley keeps getting closer in its games against USJ. Both of the teams' regular-season district games were ended by the 10-run rule. USJ won the District 14-AA championship 9-4.
This time, the team's three and four pitchers (starter Mack Burke and Lane) fared better.
"I think our kids, at the beginning of the year, were sort of in awe of USJ," coach Chris Messer said. "They're finally realizing we're just as good as they are. They put their pants on just like we do."
- Matthew Borenstein, 425-9636
Game sketch
