Area Roundup: Pontiac, Monmouth-Roseville, West Central claim diamond wins over holiday weekend

By Erich Murphy

Bingo Magic Sports

Despite inclement weather most of the weekend, there was plenty of action taking place on the ball diamonds. Pontiac scored its first baseball win while Monmouth-Roseville also garnered a victory. West Central triumphed on the softball field.

Pontiac Baseball

At Jacksonville, Pontiac split a pair of games at the Future Champions Jamboree baseball event on April 4.

The Indians opened with a 13-3 loss to PORTA. The Blue Jays scored early and put the game away later. PTHS scored three times in the fourth inning to cut its deficit to 4-3. Aden Brummel had a triple, single and two runs batted in for Pontiac. Cale Christenson and Carson Walker each singled. Ryne Mackinson took the loss, fanning three. Wyatt Williams came on in relief and Drew Christensen finished up, striking out one.

The Indians (1-4) posted their first win of the season with a 5-4 victory over Fieldcrest. Cale Christenson doubled in the bottom of the sixth to drive in Drew Christensen with what turned out to be the winning run as to broke a 4-4 tie. Cale Christenson had two doubles and Henry DeYoung singled. Darrin Pierce struck out five in notching the win. Walker struck out three in earning the save.

Eli Gerdes had two hits for the Knights. Layten Gerdes had a double and Lucas Anson, Noah Anson and Grant Matthews each singled. Eli Gerdes took the loss. He fanned three in relief of starter Layten Gerdes, who struck out six.

West Central Softball

At Springfield, West Central broke even while taking part in the Tri-City Triangular softball tournament over the Easter weekend. The Heat claimed a win over Gillespie, lost to Rochester and tied Carrolton in their three games.

Miley Stimpson struck out eight in picking up the win in the circle for West Central. She also collected three base hits in the 9-3 win on April 4. Becca Hinshaw also had three hits while Rylie Ferguson had a triple, single and drove in three runs. Delaney Endress had a pair of base hits.

The Heat were cooled 12-3 by Class 3A Rochester. The Rockets scored in each of the first four innings. Linny Corzatt took the loss in the circle. She fanned one. Corzatt also had two of West Central’s base hits. Stimpson had the other.

West Central left the event with a 5-1-1 record after playing to a 5-5 tie against Carrolton in the finale. Stimpson and Corzatt shared pitching duties with each recording a strikeout. Lilly Higgins had a double and single while Taelyn Kelly doubled. Ferguson’s had a hit and drove in two runs. Hinshaw and Corzatt also singled.

Dwight Baseball

At Henry, host Henry-Senachwine did all its damage in the first inning in posting a 5-2 victory over Dwight in Tri-County Conference baseball on April 3.

The Mallards scored five runs in the first inning off DTHS starter Jacob Wilkey, who took the loss. He fanned six. Evan Cox struck out two in in relief. Ayden Collom collected three hits for the Trojans (4-2). Cox had two singles and Starks had one hit.

The Mallards’ win came after Dwight posted a 4-1 victory in league play on March 31. Joey Starks set down 12 on strikes in this game. He also had a base hit. Jackson Launius doubled and drove in two runs. Maddox DeLong and Asher Kargle had two hits apiece.

Lexington Baseball

At Lexington, the Minutemen opened the holiday weekend with a 3-1 baseball win over Central Catholic at Keller Park on April 1. Two days later, Lexington dropped a 4-0 contest to host Roanoke-Benson.

Braeden Barber struck out 11 as Lexington topped Central Catholic. Blaine Friedmansky closed out the game for the save. Barber helped himself with a triple and RBI. Drake Powell had two hits and a run batted in. Miles Lainhart and Jack Miller each singled.

Roanoke-Benson scored all its runs in the second inning while shutting out the Minutemen for a 4-0 victory on Friday. Powell, Miller, Kayden Knight and Micah Wiltz each singled for Lexington (6-4). Miller took the loss and Wiltz (one strikeout) finished up.

Monmouth-Roseville Baseball

At Monmouth, a pair of insurance runs proved key as host Monmouth-Roseville edged Stark County 6-5 in a baseball contest on April 3.

Reliever Kane Johnson allowed two runs in the top of the seventh after the Titans had scored twice in the bottom of the sixth to take a 6-3 lead. Johnson struck out three in his two innings of relief for the save. Landyn Angelo got the win with eight punch outs in three innings of relief. Starter Keegan Smith struck out six in two innings.

Angelo had a hit and drove in two runs for Monmouth-Roseville (2-3). Andrew Way and a hit and RBI while Smith, Johnson, Nick Huston and Elijah Noel each singled.

Monmouth-Roseville Softball

At Monmouth, the host Titans were held to one hit as Monmouth-Roseville dropped a 12-0 decision to Stark County in nonconference softball won April 3.

Carmyn Way doubled for the Titans (3-3). Olivia Register started and struck out three in taking the loss. Jazmyn Copeland came on in relief, and Autumn Register finished up, fanning one.

Prairie Central Softball

At Fairbury, Peotone struck early and went on to claim a 6-2 softball victory over host Prairie Central on April 2.

The Blue Devils scored twice in the first angled 6-0 before the Hawks got on the board. Jules Woodrey had a double and single for Prairie Central (5-3). Kate Slagel and Kyah Creek each singled. Starter Faith Fields took the loss, fanning three before giving way to Woodrey, who struck out five in relief.

El Paso-Gridley Baseball

At Granville, El Paso-Gridley’s seventh-inning rally fell short as the Titans dropped a 4-3 baseball decision to host Putnam County on April 3.

Owen Adams collected three hits and Caden Castleman had a pair of doubles for El Paso-Gridley (1-4). Carson Dohleman also had two hits while Wyatt Maurer and Aiden Moore each singled. Blake Harris and Landon Garrels each drove in one run. Castleman took the loss, striking out three in the process. Harris collected four punch outs in finishing up.

Fieldcrest Baseball

At Jacksonville, Fieldcrest had a rough trip over the weekend as the Knights dropped four games, including a 5-4 decision to Pontiac at the Future Champions Jamboree baseball event.

Fieldcrest lost a 17-0 decision to Pleasant Plains in its first game on April 3. Lucas Anson, Eli Gerdes and Lucas May collected the three FHS hits. Anson took the loss on the hill, fanning three. Maddux McDonough finished up with two strikeouts.

Fieldcrest dropped a 10-0 decision to the Union Grove (Wis.) Broncos in the day’s second game. Caleb Hartley singled for the lone FHS base hit. Noah Anson took the loss in going the distance. He fanned three.

On April 4, the Knights snapped a 15-inning scoreless streak with a pair of runs in the fifth inning against Random Lake (Wis.), but fell 16-6. Gerdes had two hits and drove in a run while May doubled and had a run batted in. Hartley and Noah Anson each had a hit and two RBIs. Grant Matthews took the loss, striking out two before May finished up. May struck out five for Fieldcrest (3-6).

United Baseball

At La Grange Park, United made a baseball trip north for a pair of games against much larger competition. The Red Storm came out on the short end of both contests.

United opened the April 4 slate against Glenbard South, a Class 3A program. The Red Storm lost 4-0. Ian Leffler struck out nine and took the loss. Houston Jackson finished up, fanning one. Leffler, Chance Stewart and Collin Leary each singled.

United’s second game ended in a 7-5 loss to host Nazareth Academy, also a Class 3A program. The Red Heat (4-2-2) rallied in the top of the seventh with three runs and had the tying runs on base when the game ended. Stewart had three hits, including a double and Koen Sperry collected two hits. Leffler had a hit and drove in two runs while Nolan Jenks had a base hit. Aiden Martin struck out five in taking the loss. Lucas Horner fanned on in relief.

West Central Baseball

At Carthage, West Central’s baseball team took one on the chin on April 3 as host Illini West recorded an 18-0 decision.

The Heat (2-5) was held hitless. Colton Spence (two strikeouts), Kamryn Gridley and Michael Weber took turns on the bump.

Current records

As the season heads into the first full week of April, here are the records of the area teams, according to GameChanger.

In softball, Dwight (4-4), El Paso-Gridley (2-3), Fieldcrest (0-2), Lexington-Ridgeview (5-0), Monmouth-Roseville (3-3), Pontiac (2-3), Prairie Central (5-3), United (2-5), West Central (5-1-1), Woodland (0-2).

In baseball, Dwight (5-3), El Paso-Gridley (1-4), Fieldcrest (3-6), Lexington (6-4), Monmouth-Roseville (2-3), Pontiac (1-4), Prairie Central (2-2), United (4-2-2), West Central (2-5), Woodland (0-3).

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