The Miami Trace varsity baseball team picked up a game against Paint Valley Tuesday to stay sharp prior to their home tournament game against Logan Elm Thursday.

The Panthers defeated the Bearcats, 12-2 in five innings.

Paint Valley had two runs on four hits, while committing one error.

The Panthers scored 12 runs on nine hits with two errors.

Austin Brown was the winning pitcher for Miami Trace. He struck out five, walked one and allowed one earned run.

“It was a very good win for us leading into the tournament,” Miami Trace head coach Rob Smith said. “Paint Valley is a solid team, a team with 15 wins.

“Our kids played really well,” Smith said. “I’m extremely proud of them, especially considering we hadn’t played since last Thursday. We needed a game before the tournament against a quality team like Paint Valley.

“Hopefully, this brings us momentum for the tournament,” Smith said.

In the second for the Panthers, Cody Brightman reached on a fielder’s choice and stole second.

Brightman scored on a single by Brown.

Dalton Mayer later drove in Brown with a single.

In the third inning, Brady Wallace singled, then stole second and third.

He scored on a fielder’s choice by Drew Batson.

In the fourth, Brightman walked and stole second.

Mayer walked to load the bases and Brightman scored on a fielder’s choice by Austin Mathews. Mayer would score on a wild pitch.

In the fifth, the Panthers scored seven runs to put the game away.

Josh Gilmore reached on a fielder’s choice and stole second.

Heath Cockerill walked and the Panthers executed a double steal.

Brightman singled to load the bases and Brown hit a sacrifice fly to score Gilmore.

Mayer walked, forcing in Cockerill.

Gavin Taulbee had a two-run double for Miami Trace.

Mathews and Wallace walked and Batson drove in two with a single.

Gilmore singled, to score Batson to invoke the 10-run rule.

Miami Trace, now 16-5 overall, will host Logan Elm in a Division II Sectional championship game Thursday at 5 p.m.

Offensively for Miami Trace: Brady Wallace, 1-3, 2 runs, 2 sb, 1 bb; Drew Batson, 2-4, 3 rbi; Josh Gilmore, 1-4, 1 run, 1 sb; Heath Cockerill, 1-2, 1 run, 1 sb; Cody Brightman, 1-2, 3 runs, 3 sb; Austin Brown, 1-2, 1 run, 2 rbi; Dalton Mayer, 1-1, 2 runs, 2 rbi, 1 sb; Gavin Taulbee, 1-3, 1 run, 1 2b, 2 rbi; Austin Mathews, 0-2, 1 run, 1 rbi.