Circleville struck first and never trailed in dropping Steubenville 9-4 in a Division II regional championship game at Ohio University May 25.

It’s the first time a baseball team from Pickaway County has earned a spot in the state semifinals.

Benefiting from an error on a ball hit by leadoff hitter Andrew Barnhart, he later came around to score on a double from Garret Gray.

A five-run third, gave the Tigers (19-10) all the runs they would need. Though they added three more in the sixth for good measure.

Steubenville (18-7) was looking for its third straight final four appearance and put together a four-run fourth inning aided by two errors, a hit batter and a walk.

Gray helped lead the way for the Tigers with two doubles that drove in three runs while Garrot Kennedy was 3-3 with two RBI and Cory Cline collected two hits as part of a 12-hit effort from the Tigers.

Barnhart picked up the win on the mound going 3.2 innings giving up three hits and four runs (three unearned) with Ethan Wolfe coming on in the fourth and going the rest of the way.

Circleville takes on Wapakoneta Friday (June 1) at 4 p.m. in Huntington Park, home of the Columbus Clippers.