The Gilmer Buckeyes assured a playoff berth when Skylar Hollis lifted a strike over the left field fence for a Grand Slam home run in the second inning of their final District 16-3A game Friday.

The Buckeyes won 11-5, captured third place behind Carthage and Spring Hill, and will play bi-district on May 4.

They travel to Paris Friday for a 7:30 p. m. game before returning home Saturday to play at 2 p. m. If needed, a third game will follow 30 minutes after.

The shot over the wall by Hollis Friday gave Gilmer a 5-0 lead and Luke Turner would increase it to 6-0 on Blevin Burns single to left center.

Hollis would finish the night going 2-for-4 with a double and a homer and five RBIs.

In the second inning, Gilmer had forced in Brice Rawls when starting pitcher Shawn Albright hit Dylan Bowman with a pitch, his fourth walk of the inning.

Rawls was running for Jaidon Parrish.

Brady Tomlin and Travis Carter also walked to load the bases.

Hollis worked the count to 3-1 before he found the pitch he could hit.

After the homer, Pittsburg called on Brandon Colbert to pitch and he gave up the winning run to Burns.

Jordan Traylor added a run in the fourth to increase the lead to 7-3.

Bowman, Hollis, Traylor, and Burns all scored in the sixth to give Gilmer an 11-3 advantage.

Pitt came back with two runs in the seventh, but not enough for the win.