May 7—BECKLEY — With rain keeping most teams off the field — and things looking worse for the rest of the week ahead — Greater Beckley Christian was able to get a head start on things.

An emphatic one, at that.

Hunter Crist held Montcalm to one hit over four innings and hit a two-run homer to cap off the No. 3 seed Crusaders' 12-run fourth in an 18-3, 5-inning win in the first game of the Class A Region 3, Section 1 tournament Monday in Beckley.

The Crusaders (9-10-1) will travel to No. 2 Summers County for the next round Thursday at 6 p.m.

Crist pitched the first four innings and threw 67 pitches. He struck out 12 and walked two.

At the plate, Crist was 3 for 3 with the homer and scored four times.

Leading 6-1, Greater Beckley sent 15 batters to the plate and scored 12 runs to set the mercy-rule in motion. Crist's homer scored Kaden Bolen the No. 6 Generals were finally able to record the third out.

Eli Gunter, who closed out the game for the Crusaders, was 4 for 4 with a pair of doubles and scored four runs. Greater Beckley had 15 hits on the night.

Kellan Heffernan (double) and Kolton Harper both had three RBIs. Bolen was 2 for 4 and drove in a pair of runs.

Trevor Kennett led off the game with a triple and later scored to give Montcalm a 1-0 lead before the Crusaders answered with four in the bottom half and then two more in the second.

Trent Nunn had a two-run single with two out in the top of the fifth.

Montcalm will be on the road to face the loser of No. 4 Mount View and No. 5 River View on Thursday.