Sports Briefs: Dwight drops diamond contest; EPG, Fieldcrest split

DWIGHT — Cissna Park scored in four of the five innings it batted en route to a 14-3 nonconference win over host Dwight Wednesday.

The Trojans yielded two runs to the Timberwolves in the first inning but answered with three runs in the bottom of the frame. Jack Duffy and Ryan Turner walked for the Trojans and Dawson Carr drew a free pass to load the bases with one out to load the bases.

Jeremy Kapper delivered a base hit that drove in Duffy and Turner and Carr scored on an error on the play to put DTHS ahead 3-2.

Cissna Park came back with a run in the second to tie the game and plated two runs in the third to take the lead for good.

Kapper had two hits and had a run batted in for the Trojans (1-12). Duffy, Turner, Jack Denker and Daniel Ford each singled.

Starter Tyler Cox took the loss after allowing five runs, seven hits and three walks in three innings. Dillon Sarff gave up four runs, two hits and three walks while striking out one in an inning of relief and Carr walked one in his inning of work. Jacob Watchinski gave up five runs, five walks and hit a batter in two-thirds of an inning and Scott Harkenrider walked two in a third of an inning.

LeRoy 5, Lexington 2

LEROY — Although Lexington tried to rally but LeRoy kept the Minutemen at bay in a 5-2 Heart of Illinois Conference baseball game Wednesday.

The Panthers led 3-0 when Lexington came to bat in the fifth inning. Johnny Grunloh started the rally for the visitors by drawing a walk. This was followed by singles from Camden Hardman and Hayden Sennett before Nolan Bowles grounded into a fielder's choice, which did get the Minutemen on the board as Grunloh crossed the plate.

Tanner Laesch registered a base knock to drive in Hardman and make it 3-2. That was it as the Minutemen left the bases loaded.

LeRoy answered with two runs in the bottom of the fifth for the final difference.

All of Lexington's base hits came in that fifth inning.

Michael Olson took the loss as he allowed five runs, seven hits and two walks while striking out three in five innings. Benjamin Crouch gave up a hit in his inning of relief.

LeRoy 8, Lexington 6

LEROY — Lexington let one get away Wednesday when host LeRoy plated six runs in the bottom fo the sixth to eke out an 8-6 victory in HOIC softball.

The Minutemen scored a run in the top of the first inning and led until the bottom of the sixth. Faith Keagle's single drove in Jaya Therien, who led off the game with a two-base hit, for the first tally.

Lexington added four runs in the second inning for a 5-0 lead. Eleana Atkins led off by getting hit with a pitch but was replaced on the bases when Belle Payne reached on a fielder's choice. Payne scored on a Therien single with two outs. Keagle walked and then Mackenzie Wesson went yard with a three-run homer.

LeRoy scored a run in the bottom of the second and added a marker in the fifth.

The Minutemen scored a run in the sixth inning to lead 6-2. Payne scored when Therien reached on an error. A three-run homer from Molly Buckles gave the Panthers the lead in the last of the sixth.

Wesson had a homer, single and three runs batted in for Lexington (11-5). Therien had a double, single and RBI and Keagle had two hits and drove in a run.

Grace Getty took the loss. Getty allowed eight runs, wight hits and two walks to go with two strikeouts.

Fieldcrest 4, EPG 3

WENONA — El Paso-Gridley made it close with a late rally but Fieldcrest was able to eke out a 4-3 victory in a Heart of Illinois Conference baseball game Wednesday.

Trailing 4-1 entering the sixth inning, the Titans were looking to get close, if not even, as the first two batters reached. Aiden Jeffreys led off with a single and took third on a base hit from Landon Foster.

Knights' hurler Koltin Kearfott was looking to get out of trouble with two strikeouts and an apparent third out on a pop up. But Timmy Luckey misplayed the ball and Jeffreys and Foster scored to make it a 4-3 game. Another error put two runners on but Kearfott got a groundout to end the inning.

Clayton Shirley came on to close things out in the seventh inning, doing so with a strikeout, groundout and a strikeout.

EPG got on the board first with a run in the top of the first inning. Mac Raymer walked to lead off the game and, after two outs, Jacob Castleman drew a free pass. Will McNamara drove in Cole Hendryx, who was the courtesy runner for Raymer, to get the Titans on the board.

The Knights responded with a run in the bottom of the first inning when Jordan Heider stole home.

Fieldcrest took a 4-1 lead in the third inning with a three-run outburst. Nathan Buchanan doubled with one out and scored on two outs when Heider reached on a dropped third strike. Luckey walked and both runners moved up on steals before Tyler Serna singled them home for the three-run advantage.

Serna had two hits and drove in two runs to lead the Fieldcrest (4-8) offense. Buchanan doubled and Heider singled.

Kearfott got the win with six strikeouts in six innings. He allowed three runs, four hits and two walks. Shirley fanned two in his inning of relief.

Raymer took the loss for EPG (9-7) despite striking out 11. He yielded four unearned runs, four hits and two walks.

McNamara had a hit and drove in a run while Jeffreys, Foster and Castleman each singled.

EPG 23, Fieldcrest 11

MINONK — There was no shortage of offense at Veterans Park as El Paso-Gridley and Fieldcrest combined for 34 runs in their HOIC softball matchup Wednesday. The visiting Titans came out on top 23-11.

All nine EPG batters had at least one base hit as team produced 26 safeties, including 11 for extra bases. Lydia Hall had five hits to lead the Titans, including a home run.

The big inning for both teams was actually the sixth frame where the two sides combined for 14 runs. Leading 14-6, El Paso-Gridley scored nine times. Hunsinger led off the inning with a triple as the first seven batters reached. The titans also hit for cycle in the first five batters.

Besides Nickelle Cummings followed Hunsinger with an infield single and Morgan Seggerman doubled to drive in the Hunsinger. Hall reached on a dropped third strike to load the bases and Isabel Vargas cleared them with an inside-the-park roundtripper.

Later in the innings, after Kyra Carr and Grace Seiger each doubled, Jacqueline Schertz singled and two walks, Hall singled with the bases loaded to cap the scoring.

The 23-6 advantage was a huge deficit to overcome but the Knights tried in the bottom of the sixth. Ashlyn May began the FHS rally with a one-out base hit. She scored when Ella Goodrich tripled. Kaya Buchanan doubled and Kristyn Swartz singled.

Keara Barisch had a double to complete the scoring as two Knights crossed the plate.

Hall, whose five hits included a home run, drove in six runs in pacing EPG (4-8). Morgan Seggerman had a pair of doubles, a triple, single and four runs batted in. Carr had four hits, including a double, and two RBIs. Vargas collected a homer, triple and double while driving in four runs. Hunsinger had a triple and two singles, Sieger had a double, single and RBI, Schertz and Cummings each had two hits and Ella Schramek had a hit and RBI.

Grace Sieger fanned six, walked one and yielded 11 runs.

Kylee Cook, Gerdes and Barisch shared pitching duties. The trio combined for six strikeouts and three walks.

Goodrich led the Fieldcrest (3-11) offense with four hits, which included a triple and two doubles. She drove in three runs. Swartz had three hits and three runs batted in and May collected two doubles, a single and a run batted in. Barisch and Buchanan had two doubles and two RBIs apiece. Allie Wiesenhofer and Morgan Gerdes each singled.

Pontiac Tennis

Pontiac (2-3) scored two wins in recent boys' tennis play. The Indians topped Peoria (Central) 4-1 with three wins in singles play and one in doubles.

Andrew Pelletier claimed an 8-4 decision at No. 1 singles and Santi Pina was an 8-0 winner at No. 2. Abe Jean-Jaques claimed an 8-1 victory. In doubles, Tim Logan and Luis Mora combined for an 8-5 win.

PTHS edged St. Bede 3-2 in a match at LaSalle. Pontiac's points came in doubles. Hunter Trainor and Justin Woolford won 6-2, 6-3 at No. 1, Nate Miller and Andrew Rice won 6-3, 6-1 at No. 2 and Hunter Milam and Nate Traylor won 6-2, 6-0.

In exhibition singles play, Woolford won 8-3 and Milam was an 8-0 winner.

This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Dwight drops diamond contest; EPG, Fieldcrest split