Fast start leads to Pontiac victory over St. Thomas More

CHAMPAIGN — Pontiac got out to an early lead and did not trail in posting a 5-2 Illini Prairie Conference baseball victory over host St. Thomas More Monday.

Starter Henry Brummel got the ball with a two-run lead after the Indians tallied a pair of markers in the top of the first inning. The rally came with two outs and was started by Colin Gould with a base hit.

After stealing second, Gould scored when Logan Barnett singled for a 1-0 lead. Dakoda Ackerman, running for Barnett, scored on an error after Brummel drew a walk for a 2-0 lead.

Michael Kuska singled with two outs in the top of the second inning, driving in Drew Wayman for a 3-0 lead.

Brummel's two-out double in the top of the fifth inning plated Johnny Lenox, who led off the winning with a single, for a 4-0 edge.

The Sabers scored twice in the bottom of the fifth to cut the deficit in half, but a run for the Indians in the seventh finished off the home team.

Gould doubled to lead off the Pontiac seventh and scored three batters later when Alex Trevino singled with two outs.

Kuska had a triple, single and run batted in for the Indians (2-3). Brummel had a double, single and RBI while Gould had a double and single. P Francis had two hits. Barnett and Trevino had a hit and RBI while Lenox singled.

Brummel got the win after striking out nine and allowing two hits in four innings. Krueger allowed two runs and four hits in an inning of relief and Gould closed out the win with a pair of punchouts. He allowed four hits.

EPG 16, Ridgeview 2

COLFAX — El Paso-Gridley scored in of the five innings it batted in routing host Ridgeview 16-2 in a Heart of Illinois Conference baseball game Monday to remain unbeaten in the early going of the season.

A walk to begin any inning is a difficult thing to overcome and the Mustangs found that out quickly as Mac Raymer drew a free pass to open the game. Raymer scored on a fielder's choice from Landon Foster, who scored on a single from Jacob Castleman for a 2-0 lead just three batters into the game. Castleman scored when the next batter, Mitchell Wilson, reached on an error.

Will McNamara highlighted a five-run second inning with a two-run single after a run scored on a wild pitch during his at bat. Caden Deckard also had a two-run base hit earlier in the inning.

Deckard had a run-scoring double in the third inning, which came after Wilson drove in a run with a base knock.

Foster had a two-run double in the fourth inning to make it a 12-2 game. Four runs in the top of the fifth put the game away.

Foster and Deckard each had a double, single and two runs batted in while McNamara contributed two hits and two RBIs for the Titans (5-0). Castleman, Wilson and Dominic Ricconi each had a hit and RBI and Mason Vandegraft singled.

Castleman got the win after striking out 10 in four innings. He yielded two runs, two hits and four walks. Vandegraft closed it out with a scoreless inning. He fanned one and gave up one hit.

Tri-Valley 9, Lexington 1

DOWNS — The host Tri-Valley Vikings were rather rude hosts as they smacked around Lexington 9-1 in a Heart of Illinois Conference baseball contest Monday.

Tri-Valley scored three runs in the bottom of the first and cruised to the win with only one hiccup, which came in the top of the third inning. Nolan Bowles drove in Johnny Grunloh for the Minutemen as they avoided being shut out. Grunloh led off the inning by drawing a walk. Camden Hardman coaxed a free pass and both runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch with Hayden Sennett at bat. Swinging on a 3-0 count, Bowles lofted a fly to right that was deep enough to drive in Grunloh.

The Vikings got two runs ion the bottom of the third and added two-run frames in the fifth and sixth for the final difference.

Bowles got the lone Lexington base hit in the fifth inning, which came with one on and two outs.

Bowles took the loss on the bump for Lexington (1-4) after allowing seven runs on six hits and six walks. He struck out three in four-plus innings. Michael Olson pitched the final two frames, giving up two runs, three hits and a walk while setting three down on strikes.

This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Pontiac, EPG pick up league wins; Lexington falls short