Indian Lake 11, Graham 1 (5 innings)
Indian Lake used a balanced offensive attack and strong pitching to run-rule Graham 11-1 in five innings.
The Lakers scored in each of the first three innings, starting with a two-run first. Nixon Lillard doubled, Cooper Hall walked, and Jackson Snipes singled to load the bases. Aaron Rapp drew a walk to bring home the first run, and Chance Persinger added a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead.
Graham briefly threatened in the bottom of the first with a double from Levi Hollingsworth and a single from Jack Traylor, but IL starter Lane Kipker worked out of the jam with a strikeout and groundout.
Indian Lake extended the lead to 4-0 in the second behind an RBI double from Lillard and an RBI error, then broke the game open with a three-run third. Kipker helped his own cause with an RBI single, while Rapp drew a bases-loaded walk and Strayer added a sacrifice fly.
Graham got its only run in the third on a two-out RBI single from Kingston McWilliams, scoring Hollingsworth after consecutive singles.
The Lakers sealed the run-rule in the fifth with a five-run inning highlighted by an RBI triple from Kipker, an RBI double from Strayer, and a two-run single from Rapp.
Kipker finished the game allowing one run on six hits with three strikeouts in a complete-game effort.
Rapp led the offense with three RBIs, while Lillard and Strayer each had two hits. Kipker also recorded a multi-hit, multi-RBI performance.
Graham was led by a 3-for-3 day from Hollingsworth and two hits from Traylor, with McWilliams driving in the lone run.
Indian Lake improves to 10-11 and will travel to Sidney on Thursday. Graham falls to 5-18 and will face Southeastern on Thursday.
West Liberty-Salem 11, Fairbanks 5
West Liberty-Salem earned a season split with Fairbanks, pulling away late for an 11-5 victory.
The Tigers jumped ahead early with a four-run first inning. Isaac Sertell walked, stole second, and scored on a bunt attempt that turned into an error. Jeremiah Johnson added an RBI single, Beckett Sullivan contributed a sacrifice fly, and Tucker Searles capped the inning with an RBI triple for a 4-0 lead.
Fairbanks responded over the next two innings, tying the game at 4-4 behind a combination of errors, walks, and timely hits.
West Liberty-Salem regained control in the fourth when Searles tripled again and scored on a passed ball. The Tigers added three runs in the fifth, including a two-run single from Beckett Sullivan and an RBI single from Jeremiah Johnson.
The offense added insurance in the sixth as Timmy Howells scored on an error and Reese Oder delivered a two-run single to push the lead to 11-5.
Searles pitched five innings, allowing four runs (three earned) with three strikeouts, while Oder closed out the final two innings.
Beckett Sullivan led the offense with three RBIs, while Jeremiah Johnson and Searles each had two hits.
West Liberty-Salem moves to 14-9 and will host Fairlawn on Friday.
Greenville 9, Bellefontaine 5
Bellefontaine’s early four-run lead was erased as Greenville rallied for a 9-5 win, capitalizing on walks, errors, and timely hitting.
The Chiefs came out hot with five straight hits to start the game. Patrick Stolly doubled, Sutton Daring singled, and Cayleb Overmann delivered a two-run double. Aven Caudill added an RBI single, and Nicholas Beair drove in another run to give Bellefontaine a 4-0 lead.
Greenville answered immediately with a five-run first inning, aided by walks, an RBI single, and defensive miscues to take a 5-4 lead after one.
The Green Wave extended the lead with single runs in the second and third before Bellefontaine cut into the deficit in the fifth. Caudill and Banta singled, then a double steal brought in a run to make it 7-5.
However, Greenville responded again with two more runs on an error and a wild pitch to pull away.
Bellefontaine finished with 11 hits, led by Lincoln Banta’s 4-for-4 performance. Stolly, Daring, and Caudill each added two hits, while Overmann drove in two runs.
Bellefontaine falls to 9-13 and will travel to North Union on Wednesday.
Northeastern 5, Triad 1
Northeastern pulled away late to defeat Triad 5-1, scoring all five runs before the Cardinals broke through.
The Jets took the lead in the second inning on a bases-loaded situation that ended with a double play, allowing a run to score. They added two more in the fourth on an error and RBI ground ball, then tacked on additional insurance in the sixth with a two-run frame highlighted by an RBI single and another Triad error.
Triad threatened early but left runners stranded in each of the first four innings before finally scoring in the seventh. Ty Botkins, Alex May, and Waylin Holtsberry all reached base to load the bases, and Botkins scored on a wild pitch for the Cardinals’ lone run.
Triad finished with five hits, led by Botkins’ two-hit performance.
The Cardinals fall to 6-16 and will host Legacy Christian on Saturday.
West Jefferson 15, Mechanicsburg 1 (5 innings)
West Jefferson completed a season sweep of Mechanicsburg with a dominant 15-1 run-rule victory.
The Roughriders broke the game open with a seven-run second inning, highlighted by both a two-run home run and a grand slam, all with two outs. West Jefferson scored in every inning while finishing with 13 hits and five walks.
Mechanicsburg struggled offensively but did manage five hits and put runners on in the third and fourth innings. The Indians’ lone run came in the fifth when Lafary and Eyink singled, followed by a walk to load the bases, and Hank Huffman drove in a run on a sacrifice fly.
Lafary led the offense with a multi-hit effort, while Eyink, O’Laughlin, and Lawhorn each added a hit.
The Indians fall to 18-2 and will close the regular season at home against Riverside.
