SPRINGFIELD, MO - The Norwood Pirates (22-5) road the hot pitching hand of senior Cody Hull to a 10-0 class 1 state semifinal win over Sturgeon in 5 innings Wednesday afternoon at Meador Park.
Hull fired a complete game 1-hitter, striking out 7 and walking 3 batters.
"Definitely my defense gave me that 1-hitter," said Hull.
Hull was also 2 for 4 at the plate, driving in a pair of runs, while jump starting the Pirate offense in the first with the games first run.
Norwood banged out 11 hits, scoring a pair in the first, adding 2 more in the 4th, then sealing the win with 6 runs in the 5th.
J.D. Chadwell was 3 for 4, scoring 2 runs. Ryan Forrest and Chase McIntosh also had a pair of hits each.
Pirates head coach Jason Duey said will stay away from family and friends tonight, and will just have some fun before tomorrow.
"We're going to kick off all the parents and girlfriends and just stay together," said Duey. We'll just do whatever we can to not focus on baseball. I know tomorrow is a really important game, but we don't want to make too much of it."
"Tonight we're just keeping it low key, team only," said senior Chase McIntosh. "We're just going to have a good time and try to enjoy it and get ready for tomorrow."
The Pirates advance to the class 1 championship Thursday, 1:00 pm at Meador Park vs. Santa Fe, who beat Oran 3-2 in 8 innings Wednesday morning.
Norwood last reached the Final Four in 2000 when they finished 4th. They also finished 3rd in 1993, but have never reached the championship game.
