Trojans set school win mark with 6-3 victory over Johnnies
The 2022 Centerburg Trojans broke the school record for wins in a season with win No. 20, thanks to a 6-3 win over Johnstown-Monroe, May 21, and they move on to the District semifinals against Amanda Clearcreek.
Centerburg took a 3-0 lead in the first on a two-out single by Grayson Reynolds. Dalton Hall was hit by a pitch, and Jesse Rings singled in two runs. Caylan LeMaster followed with a single to score the third run of the inning.
Ahead 4-1 in the seventh, Hunter Parker knocked a one-out single to right, and Dakota Baer followed with a single. A Jarred Rings bunt drove across a run, and three consecutive walks put the game at 6-1. The Trojans withstood a bottom-of-the-seventh rally to win by three.
The Trojans outhit the Johnnies 8-4, led by Baer, Rings and Parker with two hits each. Jesse Rings drove in three runs, and Hall scored twice to lead the production. Four Trojan pitchers combined for the win.
Freddies use 9-run fifth to take down Lions, 11-7
The Fredericktown Freddies were behind 5-2 when they erupted for nine runs in the fifth to upend the Liberty Union Lions, 11-7, May 21.
The big fifth started with a one-out walk to Trevor Jobes. Luke Bean singled, and Braden Sapp singled in Jobes to cut the gap to 5-3. Xavier Mullins doubled in a run to cut the deficit to one run, and Jaxen Doup lined a three-run homer to left to put the Freddies ahead 7-5. Teegan Ruhl singled, and with two out, Brady Lester walked and Kaid Carpenter lined a home run to left to put Fredericktown in the driver’s seat, 10-5. Singles by Jobes and Bean accounted for the final run.
The Freddies outhit the Lions 16-8. Luke Bean led the hit-assault with three knocks, and Lester, Sapp, Mullins and Doup got two each. Kaid Carpenter drove in four runs, and Doup’s homer accounted for three RBIs. Three Freddies pitchers combined for the win.
The Freddies next take on Worthington Christian in the Division 3 tournament.
Highland holds off Whetstone, 6-3
The Highland Fighting Scots scored early and held off a Whetstone Braves charge in the seventh to deliver a 6-3 win May 21.
Highland scored in the first on a one-out single by Brock Church and a line-drive triple by Zach Pinkerton after he fouled off a bunt attempt. Kort Sears singled in Pinkerton to make it 2-0, Scots. Ahead 3-1 in the third, Hayden Kline singled to start the inning and Jon Jensen walked. With one out, Jace Brooks reached on a fielder’s choice and after a wild pitch scored a run, Blake Jodrey doubled in Brooks to make it 5-1.
Seven Highland batters connected for one hit apiece, four plays drove in one run each and five players scored, with Brooks crossing the plate twice.
Four Scots pitchers combined for the victory, with Rider Minnick striking out five in two perfect innings of relief.
Highland next faces Buckeye Valley in the Division 2 tournament semifinal round.
Bentley one-hits West Jeff as Knights win, 4-1
Grant Bentley tossed a one-hitter and Northmor took a 2-1 lead in the first and made it hold up to defeat the West Jefferson Roughriders, 4-1, May 19.
Down 1-0 in the first on a couple of walks and a couple of groundouts, the Knights struck back on a single by Max Lower, a run-scoring groundout by Bentley, a two-out walk to Andrew Armrose, a stolen base and an RBI single by Gavin Whited. A sacrifuie fly by Garrett Corwin in the third made it 3-1, and a one-run single by Bentley in the fourth padded the Knights’ lead to 4-1.
Northmor managed three hits and five walks at the plate, and on the mound, Bentley needed on 89 pitches to go seven innings, allowing one hit and three walks while striking out four.
Northmor next takes on Marion Pleasant in the Division 3 semis.
