Durant Rangers hang on to beat Tushka, make title game

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WHAT'S THE CALL? — Tushka base-runner Dillon Mansell, bottom, and Durant infielder Travis Loudermilk look back to the umpire for a call on the attempted pick-off during the sixth inning of Friday night's loser's-bracket final of the 2011 OK Kids Midget State Tournament at the Poteau Area Recreational Complex. PDN Staff Photo by David Seeley

In Friday night's loser's-bracket final in the 2011 OK Kids Midget State Tournament at the Poteau Area Recreational Complex, after the Durant Rangers had a seven-run outburst in the opening inning, it looked as if it was going to be a run-rule contest.
That ended up being farthest from the truth.
The Tushka Tigers kept chipping away at the deficit, but in the end they fell a run short in a 7-6 win by the Rangers to send them to tonight's state title game.
The Tigers end the season at 36-20.
Things could not have started off any better for the Rangers (44-7) — or any worse for Tushka starting pitcher Connor Sutton.