Elizabethton opened the Region 1-3A tournament with a statement.
The Cyclones captured a 5-2 victory over Volunteer on Friday night in the opening round of the Region 1-3A tournament at Tusculum.
Elizabethton advanced to the Region 1-3A Championship at noon on Saturday against Greeneville.
Neither team was able to break onto the board until the bottom of the third. Bryson Rowland opened the frame with a triple and touched home plate in the next at-bat as JD Hooks hit a double to plate the run.
After Volunteer tied the game at the top of the fifth, the Cyclones were able to plate a run as Justin Whitehead drew a walk that allowed Rowland to score.
EHS struck again in the bottom of the sixth as Jack Blevins put the ball in play that allowed Logan Campbell to score, while Jeriah Griffin and Blevins scored off a Rowland triple.
Elizabethton led 5-1 going to the seventh.
The Falcons got a run on the board first, but the Cyclones were able to record two strikeouts in a row to end the game.
Rhett Slagle struck out 11 batters in a complete-game effort for Elizabethton while allowing just one earned run on two hits.
Rowland went 3-for-4 with two RBI. Campbell had two hits, while Braydon Buckles and Hooks each recorded a hit.
Hooks and Whitehead had an RBI apiece.
