UNION – Clinton put an emphatic claim on the Region 4-3A baseball title with a 6-1 victory over Union County, the only remaining obstacle in its path.

Wil Stewart gave up a single and a walk to the Yellow Jackets in the bottom of the 1^st but struck out Andrew Latham to end the inning unscathed.

The Clinton starter was stout. Stewart turned in a complete game, allowing four hits. He walked two and struck out eight. He threw 68 of his 104 pitches for strikes.

Neither team got on the board until the top of the 4^th, when shortstop Zach Fortman led off with an infield single and scored on a triple by center fielder Wilson Wages, who scored on Stewart’s grounder to 1^st.

Wages tripled and singled in three at-bats. Caleb Taylor and Luke Young ripped doubles.

The Yellow Jackets (15-6, 5-2 Region 4-3A) replied in the bottom half on Cade Goings’ RBI single to right with two out.

Right fielder Brett Young led off the 5^th with a walk and scored on a double to left by Luke Young, the catcher. Second baseman Bryce Young sacrificed courtesy runner Tanner Kyko to 3^rd. First baseman Zane McLendon laced a single to center, and Kyko’s run put the Red Devils up, 4-1.

Clinton (18-3, 8-0) went back to work in the 6^th, when Taylor’s double drove in Wages, who had been hit by a pitch. That two-bagger chased Union starter Bryant Whitlock (L) in favor of Mason Small. Whitlock did, however, collect two of Union’s four hits.

The Red Devils face Seneca on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. and Westside on Friday at 6, both at home.