Bellefontaine 4, Tecumseh 2
The Bellefontaine Chieftains stay unbeaten at 3-0 after a 4-2 home win over the Tecumseh Arrows, paced by six strong innings from Spencer Stolly, who struck out nine while allowing just two hits and one run.
Bellefontaine jumped ahead early, scoring in each of the first two innings. In the first, Sutton Daring walked, Stolly singled to left, and Cayleb Overmann delivered a two-out single to third, scoring the first run. In the second, Sammy Kline singled and Nicholas Beair walked. A double steal set up Daring to ground out and bring home the second run.
Two more runs came in the fourth. Stolly was hit by a pitch, and Aven Caudill singled up the middle, scoring Stolly on a center fielder error. Caudill advanced to third, and Lincoln Banta grounded a run home for a 4-0 lead.
Tecumseh cut the lead in the fifth on a leadoff single and an error on a pickoff, scoring on a fly out. In the seventh, Aiden Smith relieved Stolly. After allowing a single and a two-out RBI single, he struck out the final batter to secure the 4-2 win.
Overmann led Bellefontaine offensively with two hits and an RBI. The Chieftains travel to Tecumseh Wednesday for a rematch.
West Liberty-Salem 10, Triad 0 (5 innings)
The West Liberty-Salem Tigers blanked Triad 10-0 in five innings, behind a complete-game effort from Reese Oder, who allowed five hits, one walk, and struck out four.
West Liberty-Salem scored early with two walks and two wild pitches in the first inning. Both offenses were quiet until the fourth, when the Tigers erupted for seven runs. With the bases loaded, a fielder’s choice scored one, then Braden Hershberger hit a two-RBI single and Brandel Sullivan followed with another two-RBI single. An error added the ninth run.
Oder closed the fifth with a sacrifice bunt for the run-rule win. Sullivan finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs, Hershberger drove in two in one at-bat and drew two walks. Triad’s George Hartman went 2-for-3 with a double. The teams meet Tuesday at Triad.
Urbana 2, Kenton Ridge 1
The Urbana Hillclimbers edged Kenton Ridge 2-1 in a pitching duel, powered by six innings from Kevin Endres, who struck out 11 and allowed six hits and three walks.
Scoring came in the sixth: Grady Lantz doubled and advanced to third on a passed ball. Endres walked, loading the corners, and Austin Hill grounded up the middle to score Lantz. Tate Lantz was hit by a pitch, and BJ Potter added a sac fly for a 2-0 lead.
Kenton Ridge rallied in the seventh with a leadoff triple and single, cutting the lead to 2-1. Brody Donahoe picked off the runner on the fifth attempt and retired the next two batters on the ground to close the win. Grady Lantz went 2-for-3 with two doubles. Urbana moves to 4-1 and hosts Kenton Ridge Wednesday.
Mechanicsburg 9, Fairbanks 0
The Mechanicsburg Indians extended their undefeated record with a 9-0 road win over Fairbanks, led by six dominant innings from Connor Eyink, who struck out 12 and allowed three hits. Ethan Hodge closed the seventh with a strikeout, keeping the basepaths empty.
Mechanicsburg scored in the second when Bodee Delong and Liam O’Laughlin singled, Colt Salyers bunted to load the bases, Drew Lawhorn drove in one, and Eli Wilson added two more RBIs. Two more runs scored in the fourth on a single from Crew Lafary and an error, making it 5-0. In the sixth, Eyink’s grounder scored two, and Matthew Davis capped the scoring with a two-RBI single.
Eyink also collected three hits and two RBIs at the plate. Wilson and Davis each drove in two, while O’Laughlin, Lafary, and Lawhorn had multiple hits. Mechanicsburg hosts Fairbanks Tuesday.
North Union 2, Benjamin Logan 1 (8 innings)
The Benjamin Logan Raiders fell in extra innings as the North Union Wildcats walked off for a 2-1 win. Both teams had just three hits and two errors each, but North Union broke through in the bottom of the eighth.
Benjamin Logan struck first in the top of the first. Cayden Brown doubled to left, moved to third on a wild pitch, and Adam Tinsman’s RBI grounder gave the Raiders a 1-0 lead. The Raiders had chances to add runs but couldn’t solve North Union’s pitching. North Union tied it in the sixth: a dropped third strike, a stolen base, and a one-out single scored the tying run.
In the eighth, Benjamin Logan loaded the bases with no outs after two walks and an error. Tinsman struck out one, but a bunt single down the line brought home the winning run for the Wildcats. Micah Gregg went 2-for-3, while Brown’s double was the only other Raider hit. Soli Hughes struck out 10, allowing one unearned run on three walks. Benjamin Logan hosts North Union Wednesday.
Shawnee 10, Indian Lake 7
The Indian Lake Lakers fell to 1-4 after a 10-7 loss to the Shawnee Braves, despite a late rally. Shawnee scored four in the first on a two-RBI double, a single, and an error, and added a fifth run in the third on an RBI single.
Indian Lake scored twice in the fourth: Grant Wickline doubled in Brady Golliday, and Reed Strayer scored on a catcher’s error, cutting it to 5-3. Shawnee added three more later in the inning, making it 8-3. Both teams scored once in the fifth, and an error in the sixth allowed two Lakers to score, narrowing it to 9-6. Shawnee added an insurance run on a passed ball, 10-6. In the seventh, Jackson Snipes doubled and scored on a Strayer single, but the rally ended there.
Strayer and Wickline each had two hits and an RBI, also scoring a run. Shawnee wins 10-7. They meet again Wednesday in Lewistown.
Northwestern 8, Graham 6
The Northwestern Warriors pulled off a stunning comeback to beat the Graham Falcons 8-6 after trailing 6-0. Graham’s early offense looked dominant. Starting pitcher Hayden Nitchman escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first inning, but the Falcons struck in the second when a two-out, bases-loaded walk drawn by Brody Jenkins brought home the first run.
Graham added two more in the third on a single to left from Kingston McWilliams. In the fourth, they tacked on three more: Jack Traylor bunted a single, scoring Arden McGuire, and two more runs scored on passed balls, giving Graham a 6-0 advantage.
Northwestern finally got on the board in the sixth. A bases-loaded hit by pitch and two RBI singles, along with a sacrifice bunt, scored four runs to cut the deficit to 6-5. The seventh inning saw Northwestern tie it on a grounder to left, then take the lead on the very next batter’s line drive to center for a two-run advantage. Graham was completely shut down in the bottom of the seventh, striking out three straight to end the comeback.
McWilliams went 2-for-2 with two RBIs, leading the Falcons’ offensive effort. The teams will meet again Tuesday.
Bethel 14, Riverside 4 (5 innings)
The Riverside Pirates suffered their first loss of the season in a 14-4, five-inning run-rule defeat at the hands of the Bethel Bees, dropping to 5-1. Bethel’s offense struck early and often. In the first inning, a one-out two-run double and a fielding error produced four runs. Two more runs scored in both the second and third innings, giving the Bees an 8-0 lead.
The fourth inning saw three more runs for Bethel on a pair of singles, making it 11-0. Riverside finally got on the board in the fourth when an error scored the first run, Camden Shoe scored on a passed ball, and an RBI ground out from Hayden McCully brought home another. A wild pitch added a fourth run, cutting the deficit to 11-4. Bethel added three more in the fifth on a bases-clearing single, ending the game via the run rule.
Syler Clark and Shoe had Riverside’s only hits, while Tony Robinson and McCully drove in runs. Riverside will host Northridge Tuesday in their next game.
