Hillsboro Senior Babe Ruth baseball team combined good hitting and pitching to earn a trip to state tournament.

Hillsboro won the district seven tournament this weekend in Marion.

The team beat Salina Aces, 7-4, in the first round Friday. They followed with two victories against Buhler to win the double-elimination tournament. Both games were called when Hillsboro led 12-2.

Manager Jordan Lago was pleased with the pitching. Tyler Ediger, Dylan Delk, and Adam Matz each pitched a complete game .

“The kids are swinging the bat well,” Lago said.

The hitting highlight of the tournament came in the second inning Sunday, when 16-year-old Rustyn Kerbs hit a solo home run over the right field fence. He said he didn’t realize it was a home run until he was rounding first base.

“That was my first one,” he said.

State tournament begins Friday in Independence. Hillsboro opens the double-elimination tournament at noon Friday against Marion, who won the district five tournament.

Hillsboro and Marion played in separate district tournaments because some districts had no Senior Babe Ruth teams.