Highland 8, Ontario 0
The Highland Scots used a six-run fifth to win their season opener at Ontario by a score of 8-0 on Tuesday. The Scots used strong pitching, solid defense, and timely hitting to knock off their MOAC rival at Ontario Field.
Sophomore pitcher Kort Sears pitched five hitless, scoreless innings for Highland. The right-hander kept the potent Warrior offense off-balance, allowing only two base runners in his outing. Junior Hayden Kline pitched the final two frames for the Scots and kept the Warriors off the scoreboard. Kline allowed two hits but stranded the runners on the bases.
Offensively, the Scots were led by senior outfielder Zach Schmidt, who collected three hits, including a double, and drove in three runs. He also had a sacrifice bunt that plated a run. Sophomore catcher Gavin Wiggand also had a multi-hit game, as he collected a double (his first varsity hit) that allowed the Scots to score their first run. Wiggand added an RBI single later in the contest.
Wiggand's double in the third broke a scoreless tie, and after advancing to third on a passed ball, he scored on Brock Church's infield single.
The Scots added to the lead after back-to-back walks to Sears and freshman Jayden Collins got the Scots’ offense rolling. Sears later scored on Schmidt's sacrifice bunt.
The Scots blew it open in the fifth, as they plated six runs to put the game away. Kline, Evan Johnson, Jace Brooks, Aron West, Sears and Collins all crossed the plate in the inning.
Ashland 2, Mount Vernon 1
The Mount Vernon Yellow Jackets fell 2-1 to Ashland in their regular season opener on March 28.
The Jackets got on the board in the first, after MV starter Caden Rowland set the Arrows down in order in the top of the inning. Rowland walked to lead off the MV first, and with one out, a balk sent Rowland to second and Konner Daughriety hit a hard grounder that Arrows’ shortstop Kamden Mowry couldn’t handle, allowing Rowland to score, but that was the only run MV could muster.
Ashland got single runs in the third and fifth. Offensively, Rowland walked three times for MV, and five Jackets got singles. Cash Finnell stole two bases. Rowland pitched four innings, allowing one unearned run, striking out seven and giving up four hits and two walks. Daughriety pitched 1.1 innings and allowed an unearned run and Jagger Dohn threw 1.2 scoreless innings in relief.
Mount Gilead 11, Danville 1
Mount Gilead started the KMAC season by scoring early and often to trounce Danville, 11-1, on Wednesday. The Indians put up four in the first on a single by Carter Kennon and three one-out walks to plate the first run. With the bases loaded, Jonny Martinez singled to make it 2-0 and Mason Barnum walked to force in another. Cameron Vickers walked and it was 4-0 Indians. Two hit batters aided Mount Gilead in making it 6-0 after two. It was 10-0 when Danville scored its run in the fourth on a single by Joey Mickey to drive in Lane Cline. Nick Garvey got three hits and Kennon had two to pace the Indians, and Kendall Carter singled twice to lead Danville.
East Knox 17, Crestline 0
In an East Knox tune up for the KMAX season, the EK Bulldogs romped over the Crestline Bulldogs 17-0, before falling to Newark Catholic 9-3 earlier this week. Against Crestline, EK scored 10 runs in the first and coasted, outhitting C-Line 15-1. Cole Delaughder connected for four hits and Bryar Householder had three to lead East Knox. Delaughder and Landon Spearman both drove in three runs, and Carson Steinmetz, Householder and Josh Keith each scored three times for EK. Householder allowed a hit and struck out the side in his only inning and Keith struck out six in four hitless innings.
