BASEBALL
Bellefontaine 9, West Liberty-Salem 7
Bellefontaine used a big late-game surge, then held off a furious rally to defeat West Liberty-Salem 9-7 in a local matchup.
Pitching dominated early. Maddox Miller kept the Tigers off balance, allowing just two baserunners through four scoreless innings, while Timmy Howells matched him, striking out six and even fanning the side in the fourth.
West Liberty-Salem broke through in the fifth. Brandel Sullivan singled and later scored on a misplayed ground ball, giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
The Chieftains answered in a big way in the bottom half. Lincoln Banta was hit by a pitch, Aiden Smith reached on an error, and a series of defensive miscues loaded the bases. Sutton Daring delivered a two-RBI single to spark the rally, and after a pitching change, Bellefontaine added runs via a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly from Cayleb Overmann to take a 5-1 lead.
Bellefontaine added more in the sixth. Banta and Smith singled, and after another error loaded the bases, Patrick Stolly ripped a two-run single. Daring followed with a two-run double to push the lead to 9-1.
West Liberty-Salem mounted a dramatic two-out rally in the seventh. Reese Oder’s two-run single sparked things, followed by RBI contributions from Jeremiah Johnson and others, along with a pair of passed balls and an error that cut the lead to 9-7 and brought the tying run to the plate.
With the pressure on, Bellefontaine recorded the final out on a ground ball to seal the win.
Daring led the Chiefs with two hits and four RBIs, while Stolly added two RBIs and scored twice. For the Tigers, Oder drove in two runs, and both Hershberger and Sullivan had two hits.
Bellefontaine improves to 7-7 and will travel to Urbana on Monday, while West Liberty-Salem falls to 7-7 and opens a series with Northeastern.
Urbana 9, Wayne 1
Urbana responded after an early deficit to defeat Division I Wayne 9-1, extending its winning streak to five games.
Wayne scored first in the opening inning on a two-out RBI single, but Urbana starter B.J. Potter settled in, allowing just four hits and one run over five innings while striking out seven.
The Hillclimbers answered immediately. Bentley Cordial singled, Kevin Endres walked, and Tate Lantz delivered an RBI single to tie the game. Endres later scored on a passed ball to give Urbana a 2-1 lead.
Urbana added three more runs in the second with a two-out rally. Carter Houseman drove in a run, Cordial tripled to bring in another, and an error allowed a third run to score, making it 5-1.
The Hillclimbers continued to build the lead with an RBI groundout from Houseman in the fifth and three more runs in the sixth. Potter contributed at the plate with a two-run single, later scoring on a wild pitch.
Jackson Stacy closed out the final two innings, allowing just two hits and striking out three.
Potter and Houseman each drove in two runs, while Cordial, Tate Lantz, Dexyn Yohey, and Carson McCulla all had two hits. Urbana improves to 10-5 and will host Bellefontaine on Monday.
Triad 11, Bradford 1 (Game 1)
Triad used a big middle inning and dominant relief pitching to roll past Bradford 11-1 in the opener of a doubleheader.
Bradford scored first, manufacturing a run with a walk, stolen bases, and a passed ball in the opening inning. Triad starter Duncan Funderburgh exited early, but Alex May took over and was outstanding, tossing 6.2 innings while allowing just two hits and striking out four.
After leaving the bases loaded in the third, Triad broke through in the fourth with a seven-run inning. Waylin Holtsberry tied the game with an RBI double, Silas Newland gave the Cardinals the lead with a groundout, and a string of hits from George Hartman, Funderburgh, Jayden Blackburn, and May added to the outburst. Ty Botkins capped the inning with a two-run double to make it 7-1.
Triad added a run in the fifth on a passed ball and three more in the seventh. May delivered a two-run single, and an error allowed another run to score.
May also contributed offensively with two hits and two RBIs, while Botkins and Holtsberry each had two hits. Triad took Game 1 convincingly.
Triad 9, Bradford 8 (Game 2)
Triad completed the doubleheader sweep with a back-and-forth 9-8 win over Bradford.
The Cardinals struck first, getting a double from Waylin Holtsberry in the second and a sacrifice fly from Jayden Blackburn in the third to take a 2-0 lead.
Bradford answered with a big fourth inning, taking advantage of a balk, a single, and a key error to score four runs and move ahead 5-2.
Triad responded with four runs in the fifth. Blackburn delivered a two-run double, later scoring on a passed ball to tie the game, and Holtsberry added an RBI groundout to give Triad the lead.
Bradford reclaimed the lead in the bottom half with a run on a groundout and another on an error, making it 7-6. The teams traded runs again in the sixth, with George Hartman doubling in a run for Triad before Bradford answered to take an 8-7 lead.
In the seventh, Triad rallied again. Ty Botkins walked and scored on an error off a hit from J.J. Roberts, and Roberts later came home on a passed ball to give the Cardinals a 9-8 lead.
Hartman closed the game on the mound, tossing 1.2 hitless innings with two strikeouts to secure the sweep.
Blackburn led the offense with three RBIs, while Hartman and Funderburgh each had two hits. Triad improves to 4-11 and extends its winning streak to three games.
Minster 4, Indian Lake 2 (Game 1 – Fort Loramie Invitational)
Indian Lake opened play at the Fort Loramie Invitational with a 4-2 loss to Minster.
The Lakers jumped out early, scoring twice in the first inning. Cooper Hall walked, Chance Persinger doubled him home, and Persinger later scored on an RBI groundout from Brady Golliday for a 2-0 lead.
Minster answered with a run in the second on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch and tied the game in the fourth after an error extended the inning.
Indian Lake had chances but couldn’t capitalize, leaving runners on base in multiple innings. Minster took the lead in the seventh, using a single to break the tie and adding an insurance run on a passed ball.
Persinger led the Lakers with a hit, an RBI, and a run scored.
Indian Lake 3, Berne Union 1 (Game 2 – Fort Loramie Invitational)
Indian Lake bounced back with a strong 3-1 win over Berne Union to earn a split.
Lane Kipker set the tone on the mound, pitching five scoreless innings while allowing just three hits and striking out five. The Lakers did not allow an earned run in the game.
The offense broke through in the fourth. Cooper Hall singled, and after a fielder’s choice and stolen base, Chance Persinger scored on a Brady Golliday single.
Indian Lake added two more in the fifth with a two-out rally. Reed Strayer walked, Nixon Lillard doubled, and Hall drove both in with a single to make it 3-0.
Berne Union scored in the sixth on a passed ball but couldn’t get closer. Jackson Snipes closed it out in the seventh with two strikeouts.
Hall led the offense with two hits and two RBIs, while Golliday and Aaron Rapp also had two hits apiece. Indian Lake moves to 7-7 and will face Graham on Monday.
Anna 15, Graham 2
Graham fell to Anna 15-2 as the Rockets used a massive third inning to pull away.
Anna opened the scoring in the first on a passed ball, but Graham responded to take the lead. Brody Jenkins singled, Jack Traylor was hit by a pitch, and Kingston McWilliams singled to load the bases. Levi Hollingsworth drove in a run with a single, and J.P. Morris added a sacrifice bunt to make it 2-1 Falcons.
Anna tied the game on an error in the second, then broke it open with an 11-run third inning. The Rockets combined five hits, five walks, three Graham errors, and sacrifice flies to build a commanding lead.
They added two more runs in the fifth, while Graham’s offense managed just one baserunner after the second inning.
Hollingsworth and Morris each drove in runs for the Falcons, who fall to 3-13 and will face Indian Lake on Monday.
SOFTBALL
Urbana 7, Greenon 1
Urbana used early offense and steady pitching to defeat Greenon 7-1.
Aubriee Reynolds led the way in the circle, tossing six strong innings while allowing just one run on three hits and striking out two.
The Hillclimbers struck for five runs in the first inning. Chloe Easterday reached on an error and eventually scored on an Addie Fox single. Bailee Packer added a two-run single, and Urbana took advantage of multiple passed balls and a wild pitch to extend the lead to 5-0.
Urbana added two more in the fourth. Easterday walked, stole bases, and scored on a wild pitch, and Packer drove in another run with a sacrifice fly.
Greenon’s only run came in the sixth on a single and double, but Reynolds worked out of a bases-loaded jam with a key pickoff.
Abby Schaffer closed the game in the seventh, working around a two-out single to secure the win.
Packer led the offense with two hits, while Fox and Packer each recorded an RBI. Urbana improves to 11-6 and will open a series with Bellefontaine on Monday.
