Krause, Metz team for no-hitter for Pontiac
CHILLICOTHE — Elena Krause went six innings and Makayla Metz finished up as Pontiac's dynamic duo of the circle combined for a no-hitter as the Indians shut out Illinois Valley Central in an Illini Prairie Conference softball tilt at IVC Thursday.
Krause chalked up eight strikeouts but allowed three walks in tossing the first six innings. Metz set down the Grey Ghosts in order in the seventh, including striking out the last two batters.
The Indians gave Krause a 1-0 lead before she toed the rubber in the circle. Krause actually helped herself with a sacrifice bunt that drove in Maddie Gourley. Gourley led off the game with an infield single, stole second and took third on an error before second-place batter Krause put down the squeeze bunt.
An error allowed Krause to reach on the bunt but she was left stranded on third.
The game settled into a pitcher's dual between Krause and IVC's Katie Petran. Pontiac finally got the Grey Ghosts' hurler for an insurance tally in the fifth frame. Again, it was Gourley and Krause getting things moving.
Gourley slapped a two-base hit with one out to start the rally. Krause followed with an infield single, leaving Gourley at second. The runners moved up on a double steal on the first pitch with Bailey Masching at the plate. Two pitches later, Gourley scored when Masching got the squeeze bunt down.
The Tribe pushed across two more runs in the seventh stanza to put the game away. In what is becoming a habit, Gourley got things rolling.
Gourley singled with one out and promptly stole second. She moved to third on an error and then scored on a Krause squeeze.
Masching kept the pressure on IVC with a two-base hit and scored when Mackenzie Coates followed with a single.
Gourley had three hits, including a double, and scored three times for the Indians (6-0). Krause had a hit and two runs batted in while Masching doubled and Coates singled with each collecting an RBI. Olivia Lindsay doubled and Cadence Helms singled.
Petran struck out 14 and allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits.
Pontiac 13, IVC 4
CHILLICOTHE — A trio of Pontiac pitchers combined to stymie Illinois Valley Central in a 13-4 Illini Prairie Conference baseball contest Thursday.
Logan Barnett, Zechariah Landstrom and Drew Wayman combined on a four-hitter while allowing one earned run.
Pontiac got on the board in the top of the first and led the rest of the way. Michael Kuska led off the game with a walk and Camden Fenton was hit by a pitch to begin the rally. Barnett reached on an error that allowed Kuska to score the initial tally.
Zayn Eilts followed two outs later with a two-run single as Fenton and Barnett scored for a 3-0 lead.
Barnett got the start and allowed two unearned runs in the bottom of the first. That was as close as the Grey Ghosts got as the Tribe responded with single tallies in the second and third frames to begin pulling away.
Hunter Wilson led off the PTHS second with a double. He scored two batters later on a Kuska ground out. In the third, Henry Brummel reached on an error, Wayman doubled and Eilts walked to load the bases. Landstrom then coaxed a free pass to force home Brummel to make it a 5-2 game.
The Indians took advantage of some IVC miscues in the fifth inning to increase their lead. Wayman reached on an error to lead off the inning. Wilson was plunked by a pitch two outs later and Masching reached on an error. Wayman and pinch-runner Brady Donovan scored on the error for an 8-2 lead.
Pontiac pushed across five markers in the top of the seventh to put the game away.
Eilts drew a lead-off walk and Landstrom Wilson each delivered base hits to load the bases. Kuska stroked a two-base hit with one out to plate pinch-runners Aaron Verdun and Duncan Eilts. Fenton singled to drive in Wilson and Kuska. Fenton scored on Brummel's sacrifice fly to conclude the PTHS scoring.
IVC scored two runs in the bottom of the inning before Kuska caught a line drive in center to end the game.
Kuska helped lead the Pontiac (4-0) offense with a double, single and three runs batted in. Fenton had two hits and two RBIs and Wilson had a double and single. Zayn Eilts added a hit and drove in two runs, Brummel and Landstrom each had a hit and RBI and Wayman had a two-base hit.
Landstrom got the win in relief of starter Barnett. Landstrom allowed two runs (one earned), two hits and two walks while striking out sixin 3 1-3 innings. Barnett fanned five, walked three and yielded two unearned runs and two hits in three innings. Wayman gave up a hit in closing out the win.
This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Pontiac softball hurlers combine for no-hitter at IVC
