HANFORD - When Hanford High coach Tim Scott took over the baseball team at his alma mater this year, he ruffled a few feathers by setting strict ground rules.
The Bullpups went through some prickly times at the outset, but none of that seems to matter today.
Second-seeded Hanford took down No. 3 Fresno 9-5 Wednesday in a Division I playoff semifinal and now stands on the doorstep of its first Central Section championship in 15 years.
Hanford (19-9) will host No. 5 Madera South at 4:30 p.m. Friday to decide the title.
"This was the highest goal we could set, so we set it there," said junior first baseman Konor Meeks, whose solo homer in the fourth was the deciding run that sent Hanford ahead 6-1. "We've had a few scrapes with each other, but when we needed to, we pulled through."
Scott, who played seven years in the majors, pitched at Hanford years ago and now coaches his son Preston, a freshman infielder.
"As a first-year coach, I came in and set rules," he said. "I hurt a few feelings -- some players left, parents weren't happy -- but I did my best to stick with the players."
And those players who stuck with Scott have banded into a team on the verge of winning the program's 10th championship. This is the second straight year the Bullpups eliminated Fresno on their home field.
"Hanford's a good team and swings the bat. You can't deny that," Warriors co-coach Ken Papi said.
Junior right-hander Dalton Silva pitched a six-hitter with eight strikeouts. James Patton also hit a solo homer, Connor West drove in two runs with a single and Preston Scott had an RBI single.
Both teams made four errors, but the mistakes cost Fresno more.
Hanford scored three unearned runs. And Warriors starter Daniel Espinosa was wild from the start. He lasted 22/3 innings, allowing five runs on four hits, walking four and throwing two wild pitches.
"Daniel just didn't have good location," Papi said.
Hanford handed Silva a 6-1 lead through four innings. Fresno rallied to within one with a four-run fifth, with two of the runs unearned. But the Bullpups answered in their half with three runs, and Silva didn't allow a hit the rest of the way.
"Once we got the big lead, it was easier not pitching with so much pressure," Silva said. "But in the fifth, I lost my fastball and had to go back to mixing it up. I still had confidence because I knew my team can score."
That's what Tim Scott is counting on in the final.
"In the quarterfinals, Dinuba tied us in the fifth and we came back with 10 runs against them," Scott said of the 15-6 win.
"As long as we do that, we're a tough team to beat."
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