By Mike Considine

East Central advanced to the area round for the second time in three years.

The Hornets (21-11) defeated Warren 7-3 Friday night at Judson in a Class 5A bi-district game.

“We scored five runs in the first two innings,” East Central coach Bryan Waller said. “ We came out and hit the ball pretty well. We had a goal to put pressure on their defense. They made some errors, and we capitalized on those errors.”

Hornets pitcher Madison Strunk didn’t allow a run until the seventh inning.

“We had strong pitching the whole game,” Waller said. “ Maddie gave up a leadoff single in the top of the first, but they didn’t get to her until the seventh. She was a good hitter and happened to get a piece of the bat on the ball.

“We made an adjustment, made some changes, and she got the next two outs.”

Haydi Bugarin hit a solo homer in the second to increase the lead to 5-0. It was the sophomore third baseman’s team-leading sixth home run this year.

East Central scored two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Strunk hit a double off the wall in the first inning. Doege also had a strong game at the plate..

“The top of the order hit the ball really well,” Waller said. “ We hit the ball hard, even when it was an out.”

The Hornets advance to meet Smithson Valley (20-7) in the area round, 7 p.m. Thursday. The Rangers will take an eight-game winning streak into the winner-take-all contest. East Central has won seven of its last eight games.