From staff reports

BRONSON – Rivals Buchanan and Brandywine squared off in the opening round of the Bronson Invitational on Saturday with the Bucks coming out on top of the defending Lakeland Conference co-champions.

Buchanan advanced to the title game against host Bronson with an 8-5 victory over the Bobcats.

The title game was rained out.

Brandywine defeated Quincy in the other contest 8-1 in five innings.

The Vikings reached the title game with a victory over Quincy.

Bryan Kuntz went the distance for the Bucks to pick up his second win in as many starts.

Kuntz scattered five hits and struck out 10 Bobcats.

He also helped his own cause offensively with a triple, two singles, two runs scored and a pair of stolen bases.

Buchanan’s Brandon Jackson also tripled and walked twice, while Tyler Powers scored twice, walked twice and singled.

Brandywine got plenty of bang for its hits as four of the seven went for extra bases.

Kyle King and Brian Exner both doubled, while Jeremy Zimmerman and Austin Searles tripled and homered respectively.

In the second game, Brandywine defeated Quincy 8-1 in a five inning contest.

The Bobcats (3-1) scored five in the first and never looked back.

Dustin Bell earned his second win of the season as he went the distance, striking out 10.

Derek Nichols, who had three hits and five RBIs on the day, hit a 3-run home run against Quincy.

Searles finished with two hits and four RBIs at the tournament, including a 2-run home run against Buchanan. Zimmerman finished with three hits on the day.

The Bobcats are back on the road Tuesday as they head into Indiana to take on powerhouse LaPorte.

Buchanan will host Bronson in a non-league doubleheader on April 10.

First game

Brandywine 100 012 1 – 5 7 2

Buchanan 320 102 x – 8 9 1

WP – Bryan Kuntz (2-0)

LP – Joe Godfrey , Tyler Hartman (1), Alex Erwin (2), Wayne Marazita (6) and Austin Searles

2B: Kyle King (BW), Brian Exner (BW)

3B: Kuntz (BU), Brandon Jackson (BU), Jeremy Zimmerman (BW)

HR: Searles  (BW)

Second game

Quincy 010 00 – 1 3 2

Brandywine 512 0x – 8 11 1

WP – Dustin Bell (2-0) and Austin Searles

LP – Eric Dules and Dan Regan

HR: Derek Nichols (BW)

Varsity records: Buchanan 2-0, Brandywine 3-1