Ripley’s Landon Meadows (5) celebrates after reaching base during the Vikings’ 10-0 win over Winfield in the Class AAA state semifinals Friday at GoMart Park in Charleston. (Photo by Teran Malone)

CHARLESTON — It’s been over two decades since the Ripley Vikings last appeared in a state title game.

The Vikings earned a spot in Saturday’s Class AAA final after shutting out the Winfield Generals, 10-0, in five innings on Friday at GoMart Ballpark in Charleston.

The two teams met during the regular season, with both teams capturing wins on their home turfs. Ripley won the last meeting over Winfield on April 18, 13-3.

The Vikings scored seven of their 10 runs in the first two innings, including scoring four in the first inning.

Ripley will face the Frankfort Falcons in the Class AAA title game on Saturday.

“We wanted to come out the gate and swing the bat,” Ripley coach Shane Casto said. “We wanted to get a quick inning out of Bryson [Casto, the starting pitcher for Ripley on Friday], which we did. Top to bottom, we swung the bat well. Bryson pitched a great game. We played great defense on top of that. All things came together at one time.

“Hats off to Winfield. They’re a great program with great players. We had a little better day today than they did. It could have been the other way just as easily.”

Casto earned the victory on the mound on Friday, as he pitched all five innings for the Vikings.

The Vikings pitcher allowed three hits, walk one and struck out seven batters. He only threw 59 pitches.

“That’s been him all year,” Casto said. “He pounces the strike zone and works in and out. He mixes all three pitches in. That’s what he’s done all year. I couldn’t be more proud of him as a coach and as a dad. It’ll be a fun evening at our house. So, that’s a good thing.”

Winfield’s season comes to a close, as the Generals close the year with a 23-8 record.

The Generals trip to Charleston was their third consecutive trip, dating back to when they won the state final in 2023.

It’s also the second consecutive season they’ve been bounced in the first round of the state tournament.

“We got beat by a team that played better than we did today,” Winfield coach Will Isaacs said. “I love watching them play, except when we’re playing them. In athletics, you can play your best and lose. I’m not saying that we played out best, but that’s how sports work. The team that played the best won today. They’re an outstanding team. We’ll regroup, start working in the off-season and try to be back next year.”

Winfield graduates five seniors on this years roster – Preston Keiffer, Jacob Kimble, Cameron Wallace, Noah Bumgarner and Jayden Patton.

Isaacs applauds the efforts this year’s senior class displayed for the younger guys.

“They’ve been to the state tournament three straight times, and a few of them played a role in our state championship team,” Isaacs said. “It’s about culture as a thing, not a slogan. It’s not a thing on the wall. It’s how you live every single day. Those seniors embody that and do it every day. Jayden Patton and Noah Bumgarner are two seniors, but they embody and live our culture every single day. They are two of my favorite players of all-time.

“It can be real easy, if you’re not getting playing time, to not buy in and everything. Those guys not only bought in but were completely in.”

Half of Ripley’s first inning runs came off the bat of Landon Meadows, as he singled to right field, which drove home Casto and Jackson Curry.

Meadows finished Friday’s state semifinal game going a perfect 4-for-4, drove home five runs and got a double in the victory.

“He’s a kid that’s had a roller coaster of a season, but he played great today,” Casto said. “He needed to have a day where he ended up with four hits in the state semifinals. He’ll remember that forever. I couldn’t be more happier and prouder of him. It was a great day for him and the rest of the guys.”

The other two first inning runs came as Parker Keller scored Meadows off a sacrifice fly ball then Brady Mcvay stole home after Kyler Doss struck out, which the third strike was dropped and was thrown out at first.

Meadows got his third double of the game after doubling to left field, which scored Curry for the second time in as many innings.

Peyton and Parker Keller got the final two runs home in the second inning, giving Ripley a 7-0 advantage after two innings.

The next two runs scored for the Vikings came after Meadows drove home the runners, with one coming in the third and the other in the fifth.

The final run to give Ripley its 10th run and end the game at five innings came after Mcvay singled to center field, allowing Curry scoring one last time from second base.

The only Winfield players to record hits on Friday came from Broday Ilderton, Brayson Downey and Jared Miller.

Seven Generals were held without a hit.