Prep roundup for Friday, April 16

Apr. 16—Northwestern's girls tennis team started the season inexperienced and untested. On Thursday, the Tigers passed their second early exam as they topped sectional rival Eastern 5-0 without dropping a set to move to 2-0 on the season.

McKenna Layden won the No. 1 singles point 7-5, 6-1, Kat Grube won the No. 2 point 6-1, 6-3 and Avery Rooze won the No. 3 point 6-3, 6-3. Jennah Jones and Mary Babcock won the No. 1 doubles match 6-4, 6-1 and Emily Goltz and Anna Grube won the No. 2 point 6-0, 6-1.

"This was a very competitive match at almost every spot," NW coach Kathie Layden said. "McKenna was down 4-5 in the first set and made a really nice comeback to pull out the 7-5 set for her first varsity win. Jennah and Mary also were able to secure their first win after the 6-4 first set at 1 doubles."

KOKOMO 3, TWIN LAKES 2

The Wildkats won a tight team peppered with competitive matches throughout the lineup. Olivia Persons was first off the court for Kokomo with a 6-1, 6-2 victory at No. 3 singles. Next, the No. 2 doubles tandem of Ava Cothern and Allie Cothern won 7-5, 7-5. And Ellen Callane clinched the match by surging to the finish of a 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-0 victory at No. 2 singles.

"I'm proud of our girls and their toughness when coming from behind," Kokomo coach Sarah Hemmerich said.

CASS 4, LOGAN 1

The Kings improved to 2-1 on the season by sweeping the singles points and getting a doubles win.

Kate Gremelspacher was a 6-1, 6-0 winner at No. 1 singles for the Kings. Erika Baber won 6-1, 6-1 at No. 2 singles and Erika Johnson won 6-1, 6-7 (6-8), 10-7 at No. 3. Cass' team of Carley McCloskey and Jordan Hensley won 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 in the No. 1 doubles match.

SOFTBALL

EASTERN 15, BLACKFORD 1, 5 INN.

Allison Delgado picked up the win in the circle, giving up just two hits and an unearned run while striking out four. Cassidy Keene hit a three-run homer. Dee Ayres and Alana Ayres each had multiple hits, and Dee Ayres and Hope Smith each drove in two runs.

"I thought defensively overall we played our best game of the year," Eastern coach Steve Bratcher said. "Kassidy Fritch made a top-10 play in center field for us. Allison Delgado threw really well and it was good to see her in a groove on the mound.

"Offensively we keep saying when we put the ball in play good things are going to happen and [Thursday] night it did as we scored 15 runs on 11 hits."

BASEBALL

PERU 12, OLE MISS 2, 5 INN.

Andrew Beebout moved to 2-0 on the season with a five-inning complete game pitching for the Bengal Tigers, who are perfect at 7-0 this spring. He allowed two runs (one earned) with two walks and four strikeouts.

At the plate, Jacob Loftus led the Bengals with a 3-for-3 night that included a double, steal and two runs scored. Jackson Rogers tripled, had two runs batted in and scored twice. Leif Astrup had a productive offensive game without collecting a hit. He walked twice and was hit by a pitch, stole a base and scored twice.

WESTERN 17, MAC 0, 5 INNINGS

Braeden Bryant and Cayden McClure combined to drive in seven runs to lead Class 3A No. 4-ranked Western's rout of visiting Maconaquah. Bryant went 2 for 4 with a home run and four RBI and McClure was 2 for 2 with a double and three RBI.

"Cayden McClure had a big hit early, doubling off the fence, and Braeden Bryant followed with a three-run homer to put us up 6-0 [in the first inning]," Western coach Ryan Berryman said.

Also for the Panthers (4-3), Riley Western was 2 for 2 with a double and an RBI and Deaglan Pleak was 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI.

Dylan Bryant and Western pitched for the Panthers with Bryant earning the win. He pitched three innings, allowed two hits and struck out six. Western pitched the final two innings, allowed no hits and struck out three.

Western was coming off a 1-0 loss to Hamilton Heights on Wednesday.

"As a staff, we saw some positives and growth [Thursday]," Berryman said.

OAK HILL 6, NW 1

Northwestern outhit Oak Hill 7-6, but three Tiger pitchers combined to walk 10 batters.

"I think the amount of walks [hurt] and a lot of their hits were from us getting behind in counts. We'd fall behind 2-0 or 3-1, fastball counts, and they took advantage," Northwestern coach Ryan Ward said. "There's another two or three times where they had the bases loaded and didn't score so we were kind of playing with fire all night."

Northwestern's seven hits were all singles, by seven different hitters. The Tigers struggled to string hits together for the second straight night.

"We're still looking to find the right lineup," Ward said. "I thought we did better with our approach, but couldn't capitalize and get big hits."

Tate Mullens took the loss and A.J. Burkhalter and Cole VanNatter pitched in relief.

GIRLS TRACK

EASTERN 77, N. MIAMI 60

Cecelia Roswog won the discus and Jacey Richmond won the shot put to lead the Comets to 1-2-3 finishes in the throws.

The Comets also swept the relays as the team of Alesia Rummel, Emily Slaughter, Lily Greene and Ella Kantz won the 4x800 race, Rummel, Ella Cherry, Maggie Johnson and Greene won the 4x400 race, and Cherry, Lauren Farley, Arie Turner and Tori Yoder won the 4x100 race.

Kantz won the 1,600, Rummel won the 800, Slaughter won the 3,200 and Turner the 200.

"Proud of our throwers, winning 1-2-3," Eastern coach Anne Kantz said. "We were also missing some girls in our regular lineup, so the girls exhibited some flexibility. I liked the way some girls stepped up to do events that might have been out of their comfort zone. Overall happy with performances. The girls continue to work hard."

CASS 95, DELPHI 32, TAYLOR 28

The Kings had a strong showing in a three-team meet at Cass.

In individual events, Cass' Averi Parker won the shot put and discus, Makenna Leicht won the 1,600 and 800, Delaney Zeck won the 3,200, Liberty Scott won the 300 hurdles, and Taylor Rodabaugh won the 200.

Makala Pfefferkorn was a triple winner for Taylor. She won the 100 hurdles (:15.7), the long jump (17 feet, 2.5 inches) and the high jump (4-8). Sydnie Boley was a double winner, crossing first in the 100 (with a PR of :12.74) and the 400 (1.06.27).

TRI-CENTRAL 75, CLINTON CENTRAL 52

Quadruple winners Maggie Lewis and Lily Stogdill led Tri-Central over Clinton Central to help the Trojans move to 2-0 on the season. Lewis won the 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles and was on the winning 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams. Stodgill won the 100 and 200 (in a PR or :27.21) and was on the 4x100 and 4x400 teams.

Julie Childers won the 400 and Alyssa Browning won the 800. Both Childers and Browning were on the winning 4x800 and 4x400 relays. Peighton Oliver won the 1,600 in a PR of 6:27 and was on the winning 4x800 team. Serenity Ash won the 3,200 in a PR of 14:45 and was on the winning 4x800 team.

Emma Piske won the discus (PR of 91-0). Natalie Garrity and Makaylee Vawter ran legs on the winning 4x100 relay.

BOYS TRACK

EASTERN 84, N. MIAMI 57

Callum Brand was a triple winner for the Comets, who put a lot of fresh faces in different events in a dual victory at North Miami. Brand won the long jump, high jump and was on the winning 4x100 relay team with Parkar Harney, Austin Lucas and Austin Seagrave.

Henry also won the 110 hurdles. Ty Kremer won the 800 and J.T. Webster won the 3,200, and both were on the winning 4x800 relay team with T.J. Weeks and Kamp Miller. Isaac Horner won the 200 and Nathan Rush the discus.

"We took mainly a freshman, sophomore team," Eastern coach Kyle Hannah said. "We had some upperclassmen that we wanted to keep at home and kind of get more practice time. That also gives some guys opportunities that don't get opportunities in our other traveling meets. I was happy with some of our guys stepping up."

CASS 72, DELPHI 68, TAYLOR 10

In the field for the Kings, Tyler Johnson won discus and shot put, and Tristin Miller won the high jump. In distances, Enoch Hines won the 1,600 and 3,200. And in the sprints, Braxton Armstrong won the 400 and Dominic Gilbert won the 300 hurdles.

Taylor's top result came from Chris Moore, who placed in three events, topping out at second in high jump (5-2).

TRI-CENTRAL 62, CLINTON CENTRAL 61

The Trojans needed every place to edge Clinton Central by a single point.

Ethan Gibson and Josh Jimenez-Vasquez were triple winners for TC. Gibson won the 1,600 and 3,200. Jimenez Vasquez won the long jump and 800, and those two teamed with Nathan Bitner and Cole Byrd to win the 4x800 relay. Ross Cassity won the shot put and discus (in a PR of 130-4).

BOYS GOLF

MACONAQUAH 184, WESTERN 194

Led by medalist Mason Taylor's 2-over 39, the Braves topped the Panthers on Chippendale's back nine.

Kyle Sanders led Western with a 40. The Panthers also counted Andrew Hartman's 47, Sam Bowlby's 53 and Kaden Blount's 54.

"Saw improvement from [Wednesday]," Western coach Blake Conklin said, referring to the Panthers' opener against Lafayette Jeff. "Some of the guys don't have a lot of experience on the back, so it was a good learning experience for them. [The Braves] had some dudes play really well. The grind continues."