Heath reliever Hayden Woodward was nearly untouchable.
The soft-tossing righthander went seven innings in relief, allowing no runs. But it was his bat that ended up being the difference in a 4-2 11-inning marathon to spoil Opening Day at East Knox on Saturday, March 27, in Howard.
Woodward drove in what turned out to be the game-winning run with an RBI double to the left field corner with one out in the 11th inning. He worked the final seven innings on the mound, allowing just four hits and three walks with eight strikeouts to notch the victory.
Mitchell McClain’s RBI single with two outs in the 11th gave Heath some insurance.
East Knox (0-2) put two runners on in the bottom half of the inning. But the game ended on the base paths when Heath centerfielder Conner Toomey made a perfect throw to get Nick Hornsby at third trying to advance after a fly out.
Bryar Householder was solid for East Knox on the mound. He went seven innings and allowed two unearned runs on four hits with eight strikeouts, but he didn’t factor in the decision.
Weston Melick worked a leadoff walk in the fourth inning and advanced to third on an error in a pickoff. Cole DeLaughder brought him home on a groundout to tie the game at 2-2, where it stayed until the 11th. DeLaughder had a game-best two hits.
Sam Printz took the loss, allowing two runs (both earned) on three hits with four strikeouts over four innings in relief for East Knox.
Ryan Davis had three hits, four RBIs and a pair of runs; and Colt Viestra had three hits, three runs and drove in one run to pace the Lancers (1-0).
Ryan Ogilbee’s single in the first inning ended up being all host Lakewood needed, but the Lancers had a sustained offense and rolled to a 10-1 victory over East Knox on Monday, March 29, in Hebron.
Carson Steinmetz had a hit and drove in a run to lead the Bulldogs at Lakewood.
Freddies notch Opening Day sweep
Brady Lester’s two-out single in the fifth inning proved to be the game winner in Game 1, and Kaid Carpenter’s four-hit performance in Game 2 helped Fredericktown complete a doubleheader sweep at Wynford on Saturday, March 27, in Bucyrus.
Carpenter was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with a pair of doubles, two runs and two RBIs to lead the Freddies, who won the second game 7-2.
Carpenter was also solid in the first game, a 3-1 win for the Freddies, with three hits. Ty Hatfield had two hits — a homer and a double — and scored three times for Fredericktown.
Centerburg 14, Lucas 2 (5)
Joe Tepper was a perfect 4-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored to lead visiting Centerburg to a 14-2 win in five innings over Lucas in non-league play on Saturday, March 27.
The top six batters in the Trojans’ lineup each had multiple hits in the victory. Dalton Hall had three hits, four runs and three RBIs; and Dakota Baer had a pair of hits including a solo home run to highlight the action for Centerburg (1-0).
Highland 5, St. Francis DeSales 2
Wyatt Groves and Owen Mott combined to stymie host DeSales, leading Highland to a 5-2 victory in non-league play to open the season on Monday, March 29, in Columbus.
Groves got the win, allowing one run (earned) on four hits and two walks with four strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings. Mott followed and allowed one unearned run on three hits with one strikeout over the final 3 1/3 innings.
Dom Carter had two hits and a walk, scored twice and drove in a run to pace the Fighting Scots (1-0) on offense.
Kent Roosevelt 13, Utica 5
Utica started fast with three runs in the first inning, but Roosevelt’s sustained offense proved to be too much in a 13-5 loss in non-league play at the Athletes in Action Sports Complex in Xenia.
Hunter Billman had three hits including a pair of doubles, two runs and an RBI to pace Utica.
Nate Stohovitch hit a three-run home run to give the Rough Riders the lead in the third inning. He ended up with four RBIs and two runs scored for the game.
Lucas 11, Danville 1 (5)
Andrew Finello had three hits, three RBIs and two runs to lead host Lucas to an 11-1 five-inning victory over Danville in non-league play on Monday, March 29.
Andrew Smollen kept the Devils off balance, allowing one unearned run on two hits with 10 strikeouts to get the win for the Cubs (1-0).
Wyatt Weckesser and Bryce Colopy had the only hits and Noah James drove in the only run for the Blue Devils (0-1).
TRACK AND FIELD
Highland took first place in seven events at the Freddie Chilly Relays on Saturday, March 27, in Fredericktown.
The meet was unscored as a team event; with participants from Centerburg, East Knox, Fredericktown, Lucas, Northmor and Northridge.
Individually, Landon Remmert took first in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 16.97 seconds, Landyn Albanese was first in the long jump (19 feet, 3 inches) and Alexis Eusey was first in the shot put (31-7.50).
The Scots took first place in the boys 4x200-meter relay (1:37.81), the girls 4x200-meter relay (2:05.69), the girls 4x400-meter relay (4:31.82) and the boys 4x400-meter relay (3:41.48).
The host Freddies were first in the girls 4x100-meter relay (55.47), the girls 4x800-meter relay (11:02.43) and the girls throwers 4x100-meter relay (64.01). Individually, Sydney Wilson took first place in the pole vault (8-0.00) for Fredericktown.
East Knox was first in the boys distance medley (11:48.57) and the boys 800 sprint medley (1:46.37). Individually, Chase Darr finished first in the high jump (5-10.00) for the Bulldogs.
Centerburg took first in the boys 4x100-meter relay (46.97). Individually, Ben Riegel set a school record with a throw of 55-6.00 in the shot put; he also placed first in the discus (145-7). Chloe Goulter was first in the long jump (14-11.50).
Black Bear Relays
Both the Mount Vernon boys and girls teams took first place at the Black Bear Relays on Saturday, March 27, in Warsaw.
The girls team scored 111 points to beat out host River View (105), West Holmes (74), Ridgewood (50), and Rosecrans and Edgewood (30).
The boys team finished with 102 points to beat out the Black Bears (90), West Holmes (88), Ridgewood (79), Benedictine (67), Rosecrans (17) and Edgewood (16).
The Yellow Jackets finished first in the girls 4x200-meter relay; with the team of Marissa Rutter, Sarah Phillips, Alexis Strong and McKenna Brokaw running a time of 1 minute, 54.66 seconds.
Stella Bainbridge was first in the discus with a throw of 111 feet, 11.75 inches.
The boys 4x200-meter relay team of Erich Rhodeback, Damion Blubaugh, Bryce Wiles and Dylan Dowell finished first with a time of 1:33.00.
The team of Rhodeback, Blubaugh, Dowell and Matthew Salvucci was first in the 4x400-meter relay (3:33.35).
Individually for the Jackets, Rhodeback placed first in the long jump (20-2.50).
