The Ripley baseball team celebrates after defeating Sissonville for the Class AAA, Region 3 championship Thursday. The Vikings advanced to next week’s state tournament. (Photo Provided)

CHARLESTON — After getting shut out in their first game of the best-of-three-series against Ripley, Sissonville was looking to bounce back at home on Thursday and force a third and deciding game.

The Indians scored their first runs and took a lead, but the Vikings would go on to score the next 14 runs to earn a 15-2 victory to claim the Class AAA Region 3 championship and advance to the state tournament.

The Vikings (23-3) will play in the state semifinals next week at GoMart Ballpark with their opponent, day, and time to be determined.

It’s the first time back in the state tournament for Ripley since 2016.

“It’s an awesome feeling to be back in the state tournament”, Ripley coach Shane Casto said. “It’s big for the kids, school, program, and the community. I’m glad these guys are getting the opportunity to get there and experience it.”

In game one, Ripley pitcher Bryson Casto only allowed one hit in the complete game 4-0 shutout for the Vikings.

Ripley struck first with a solo home run by No. 2 hitter Jackson Curry to right-center field to take an early 1-0 lead. It could have been 2-0 but the leadoff hitter was picked off after reaching on a walk.

Sissonville responded in the bottom half of the first, scoring their first runs and taking their first lead of the series. The Indians had two hits, more than they had the entire game one.

After two walks and a double by Nathaniel Simonton to lead the bases, Jake Coleman delivered a single to drive in two for a 2-1 Sissonville lead.

Ripley, though, took back control of the game in the third inning, plating five runs on four hits, a walk, and a hit batter to take a 6-2 lead. The big blows came from the bottom of the Vikings lineup.

Brady McVay hit an RBI single to tie the game at two.

With two outs and the bases loaded, Ripley No. 8 hitter John Cummings drew a walk to drive in the go-ahead run, and No. 9 hitter Eli Phalen hit a bases clearing double to drive in three more runs.

“That was absolutely huge right there,” Casto said. “We haven’t been behind a whole lot and hit in the mouth, and we needed that. We responded very well and got some big hits, and it kind of went from there.”

Later in the game, Phalen would earn two more hits, steal a base, and hit a sacrifice fly, finishing 3-for-5 with four RBIs to provide the spark for Ripley from the nine spot.

“Eli was huge tonight,” Casto said. “When we can do that with him at the bottom, it flips to the top with Bryson and Jackson. Those three guys in a row are a lot of fun to coach and a lot of runs get scored.”

“This is a surreal feeling to go to the state tournament,” Phalen said. “It’s a great feeling to know I can produce for my team when they need me to. For me that hit in the third was a big one. There were so many emotions going through my body.”

The Vikings added nine more runs (three in the fifth inning, two in the sixth, and four more in the seventh) and all nine batters reached base. Casto finished with three RBIs, two hits, and reached base four times, including two walks.

In ending its season at 21-10, Coleman drove in both runs for Sissonville, Noah Harless delivered two hits, and Layne Coffman walked twice for the Indians.

“Ripley is the number one team in the state, and have been for a reason,” Sissonville coach Chad Carpenter said. “We are playing a class above of what we should be playing. That’s not an excuse but I’m super proud of these guys for making it this far.”