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The Ariton Purple Cats topped the Wicksburg Panthers in dramatic fashion in game three of their Class 2A State Baseball Playoffs Series on Friday to advance to the state quarterfinals.

Ariton trailed 2-0 going into the fourth inning when Easton Kilpatrick hit an RBI single into left field that drove Hughes Hammock in. Addison Senn then hit the game tying RBI single that drove Kilpatrick in to knot things up 2-2.

Ariton’s Caden Colier hit an RBI single into center field that drove Senn home to give the Cats a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth. In the top of the seventh inning, Wicksburg answered when Gabe Glover hit his third home run of the series to tie the score 3-3.

In the bottom of the seventh, facing one out, Jessie Pelham drove in Myles Tyler for the winning run in walk-off fashion to advance Ariton to the quarterfinals.

Kilpatrick went 2-for-3 at the plate for Ariton with an RBI and a run, while Tyler went 2-for-4 with a run and Aven Cook went 2-for-4 with a double. Lawson Leger got the win on the mound, striking out a pair of batters and giving up five hits and one earned run in four innings pitched. Ian Senn also pitched three innings and fanned a pair of batters, while giving up one hit and one earned run.

For Wicksburg, Glover went 2-for-3 with a homer, one RBI and three runs. Easton Dean pitched seven innings and struck out five, while giving up 10 hits and four earned runs.

Ariton will play the winner of Reeltown vs. Washington County in the quarterfinals next week.